By forming their own association, Cologne Turks hope to celebrate Karnival in their own way: with more respectful behavior and without alcohol. Turks in Cologne, Germany have formed a Karnival association in the hopes of better brokering the relationship between their beliefs and the raucous celebrations that usually occur during the Rhien city’s annual Carnival. “We absolutely want to be part of the fun, but we want to adapt it a bit to our own way of life,” said Katharina Starke, spokeswoman for the Turkish Karnival Association of Germany. The association was launched on Thursday. Karnival, an annual festival of parties and parades, has its roots in Christianity. Also celebrated in southern Europe, it was originally a splurge of eating and drinking in February or March before the annual six-week Christian fasting season of Lent. It is not an official Catholic feast and the clergy have no role in it. Karnival revelers dress up in outlandish costumes, sing all night and often stop work for days on end. Turkish residents of the city join in enthusiastically every year.
