At the iconic Sambadrome parade in Rio de Janeiro, some performers literally became shower heads, spraying water up into the air from their hats as they sang and danced. Revelers in Triunfo, Brazil, strolled the streets in sad-faced masks, while partygoers in Montevideo, Uruguay, banged on Candombe drums, a tradition dating from the colonial era when African slaves were brought to South America. Political tensions in Haiti caused some events to be cancelled and dampened participation, but people still took to the streets to celebrate, including roller-skaters in elaborate costumes.