Every year Josefina Oliver enjoys the Carnival festivities. When being single, she goes out together with her friends the Graus and they participate in different carnivals in the city of Buenos Aires. She says:
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‘(…) Tuesday 24th – After dinner we went to the carnival in Flores (…). When we arrived we couldn’t get in because of the number of cars. Oliver got impatient and they went to the Artes* carnival in the centre. After just a short time Pepe’s car left, Pastora’s and our car could enter. It was really splendid, distinguished and cheerful, we played a lot with streamers and flowers. We were dressed up as manolas with Cordovan hats and Manila shawls, our costume arouse great enthusiasm. (…) We went to bed at 3 in the morning. (…)’ Diary 3, p.158, February 1903
*Carlos Pellegrini Street.
With the company of their parents, they also attend the gala balls at Centre Catalá, Casal de Cataluña at present, and Club Español, where they meet many friends from the Spanish collectivity.
As from 1904, with the birth of her five nieces, her sister Catalina and Genaro García’s children, Josefina makes up costumes and situations for the children to participate in the festivities. She sews a dress for her niece Mercedes with issues from La Nación newspaper, which she wears self-satisfied.
Married to Pepe Salas Oliver, Josefina finds support in her husband, who aids her in her initiatives:
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‘(…) Sunday 6th – Carnival – (…) At lunch time I disguised with a horrible mask that Pepe brought, a pair of Dad’s trousers, Pepe’s pinafore, a tie, gloves and a cane and I showed up in the summer dining room. When the children saw me they rushed; Pedrito was crying, the same as la nena, asking for the Marquess of Cabriolas to leave, as Dad had introduced me. Arito with his eyes wide open was the only one who didn’t cry. In the end I moved off since the children couldn’t calm down. (…) In the afternoon it was Pepe the one who dressed up as the Marquess of Cabriolas with the same outfit as me in the morning. The children are very intrigued with this Marquess. (…)’ Diary 4, p.411 February 1910
With no problems, the boys dress up as women: Pepe Salas with Josefina’s bathing suit, Pedro Oliver as a noble matron or Genaro García as an African woman.
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‘(…) Monday 26th – 2nd day of Carnival – According to the newspapers in BA the Carnival has been gloomy yesterday. In the morning Genaro disguised with a mask of a black woman that I brought for la nena, and all of us dressed up with hideous masks and we went to the eucalyptus path where I took several groups to perpetuate the event (…)’ Diary 4, p.074, February 1906
