Masks and other disguises are a central feature and many of these betray modern influences, such as Superman, El Zorro and Snow White (Blanca Nieves), to name but a few of the comic book and cartoon characters you might meet.
By 1925 the Carnaval had become such a central feature of the annual social calendar that it was noted that an English shop called Weldon's was shipping great bulks through the postal system of Ciudad Bol�var. The embroidered fabrics, lavish silks and other lavish decorations were primarily orderd for the Carnival by blacks.
Caribbean Carnival is very close to this City. Many traditions, such as calypso from Trinidad, and the laborious dresses of the women of Guadalupe and Martinique, have set deep roots in this Carnaval tradition. Venezuelan calypso music, imported from Trinidad in the 1880s by immigrants arriving during a gold rush, has its own distinctive rhythms and lyrical style. Spelled calipso in Venezuela, the music has had major stars, including most famously VH.
Today, the black inhabitants of El Callao continue to enjoy their fancy dress at Carnival time, and with nearby Trinidad supplying a wide assortment of ingredients to make yourself over a regal figure, we all can see ourselves as kings or queens - if only for a day. Trinidad has also added calypso and soca music to this callaloo Carnival, fueling the processions of costumed dancers that wind around town for a number of days
