CARNIVAL, OR CARNAVAL, as it is called in Latin America, comes from the Latin meaning "farewell to the flesh." It refers to the 40 days of Lent, when Christians were forbidden to eat meat, had to wear somber clothing and refrain from merriment.

So the days preceding Lent were the last opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh and Carnaval evolved as a period of sanctioned excess, of carefree abandon and indulgence in which wild behavior was accepted as a necessary outlet.

The familiar colorful trappings of Carnival, with its wild costumes, masked balls and parades, probably originated in Venice in the 12th Century. But the use of masks and other disguises probably has roots in ancient pagan times when they were used for protection against evil at inauspicious times when malevolent spirits were thought to be about.

The spectacular samba parades and lavish costumes of Rio are the benchmark for Carnaval, but local variations take place throughout Latin America.

In Mexico, the tradition is strongest in Merida, Varacruz and Mazatlan and Cancún. Here in Puerto Escondido Carnaval will begin on Saturday the 28th with the election of the King of Joy, the Queen of the Carnaval, child King and Queen and the ceremony to "Burn Bad Humor."

On Sunday 29th the first Grand Carnaval Parade winds its way through the streets of Puerto Escondido, with colorful floats, visiting folkloric groups, bands and dancers and comparsas.

The comparsa is a group of friends, colleagues or students from a particular school who dress up in matching costumes to participate in Carnaval. The comparsas and the floats will be reviewed by a team of judges who will select the best.

On Monday, there will be special programs of entertainment at the Municipal Esplanade. Then on Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, comes the climax of Carnaval. This is the night of the second Grand Parade, followed by the awards ceremony for winners of the contests and the ceremony to "Bury Juan Carnaval", complete with grieving widows; hey, fun's over now! There will be fireworks and dancing 'til the wee hours.

The following day is Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, 40 days of austerity, abstinence and spiritual reflection. So the idea is to have fun: find a costume and get with the program. Puerto's Carnaval de la Costa was revived here by the state government some years ago, to boost tourism and give our visitors another option for parting.

Unfortunately, it hasn't quite taken hold here; Most people just stand about and watch the parades, instead of participating. But north of here Carnaval is a strong and vibrant tradition, deeply rooted in the Afro-Mestizo and Mixtec communities of the Costa Chica ("Small Coast", which extends from Rio Verde into the state of Guerrero, beyond San Marcos).

In villages such as San Juan Colorado, Santa María Huazolotitlan, everybody gathers during the days of Carnaval to watch traditional dances such as The Badger's Dance, the Jawbone Dance and other masked dances.

All of these dances are very satirical in nature, breaking social and sexual taboos and taking shots at the status quo; even the local authorities and village elders have to put up with taunting and teasing without complaint. The pantomime aspects and themes of these dances might seem naive, but they are very meaningful to the locals, because they often allude to rumors and gossip about neighbors, exposing peccadillos and even naming people who may have committed crimes.

Many of the region's traditional dances share common characteristics. One is that only men dance, even when there are female characters, and the appearance of two characters, a couple, Pancho and Minga. Even though their origins, characteristics or names may differ, they always appear as a rich cattle rancher and his flirtatious wife. The dances also often involve cattle rustling and the hunt to find the evildoers.

In Pinotepa de Don Luis, Mixtec is heard much more often than Spanish. The town was named for Don Luis de Castillas, one of Hernán Cortés' protégées who, thanks to his success in mining and ranching, became the richest man in New Spain.

Here the annual festival for the patron saint, San Sebastián, takes place towards the end of January, but it is during Carnaval that the most elaborate dances are performed: the Dove Dance, the Tiger Dance and especially the Badger Dance.

The Dance of the Badger (La Danza del Tejórones) is elaborately costumed with a cast of characters that include the Badger, his Woman, the evil Tiger, the unfortunate Cow, the Dog and the Hunter. It is exuberant, bawdy and you can count on being targeted and made to participate if you attend.

The dancers make their way to the center of town one after another, where the villagers form a circle around them. The dancers wear masks and dresses decorated with tinsel, wear worn out clothes and a cone covered in cockerel feathers on their heads. Everyone appears slightly nervous about how the "badgers" will react. The children get close enough to pester them and then run away. The badgers attack the onlookers any way they can think of: they insult them; they poke fun at them; they grab men and women, all sexual taboos aside.

For Carnaval in San Juan Colorado, the Old Badgers Dance is performed. Music is provided by two violinists, a guitarist and two drummers.

Santa Maria Huazolotitlán is best known for its Dance of the Little Masks. It is thought to date back to the French invasion, when the French were driven out, the Indians celebrated by staging a grotesque caricature of French, ridiculing the way they danced, their behavior appearance. This parody, with its pink-faced masks, became a regional tradition. It's known as The Jawbone dance in San Juan Colorado and Dance of the Dandy in Jamiltepec.

These vibrant indigenous communities have conserved their identity and cultural heritage through these dances and through the ancient techniques of their arts and crafts. But, given the onslaught of global mass culture, these traditions are under attack; Many of the older people still wear and practice these skills, but few of the young can be seen in huipil and pozahuanco. Now is the time to experience these places. Read on for a little more about the Mixtec towns of the Oaxacan coast.