Karnaval explained- Episode 2- The Chaloskas.

For four and a half months in 1915, Haiti had a president named Vilbrun Gillaume Sam.  This was during a very turbulent time in Haiti where Sam was the 5th president in as many years.  Afraid of being ousted by a political opponent, he staged a revolt of his own where he ordered 167 political prisoners killed being held in jail.  

A man names Charles Oscar Etienne was his chief of police at the time.  He was the one responsible for executing the prisoners in the jail.  He went down in history as an awful man and both he and Sam met untimely deaths torn to pieces and paraded through the streets.  Chaos in Haiti erupted and thus began a 19 year occupation of Haiti by the US Marines.  (You can read more about the story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilbrun_Guillaume_Sam)

The term "Chaloska" comes from the name Charles Oscar (Etienne). And each year during Karnaval,  Chaloskas march in the parade to mock this horrific murderer in Haiti's history.

See a video of several Chaloskas in costume here: http://www.creolecorner.ca/pages/chaloska.html