When we hear the word carnival in any part of the world where we are, generally these parties refer to an excessive manifestation of joy, where different types of parades, comparsas, dances, costumes among a few other elements are also integrated.
Now, the meaning of the word carnival could come from 2 different sources, one of them being the one provided by the petitioner of the Royal Spanish Academy, which mentions that this word has its origin from those old Italian words that mean "meat is worth" and that it means "to remove the meat", something that supposedly suggests to those sensual dances that could get to be observed in the different festivities of the carnival before the beginning of Lent.
Now, there is also another meaning, the same one that instead comes from the ancient Roman language and specifically from the words "carrus navalis" whose meaning would be "naval car"; the meaning refers to the custom that is had in certain countries for trying to make a boat with wheels ride in what is known as Roman Saturnalia, something that was dedicated mainly to the god Saturn. In the interior of this ship certain masquerades used to be performed as well as a few promiscuous dances. Due to the religious act that was about to take place, these sensual dances were replaced by the throwing of flowers to the public who observed this show.
It seems that we are doing the bansas to the devil