How it all began here in Western Australia.
.... Introduction
Before we go into the story of our humble beginnings - we must explain, that the information we have received has come from many and various sources and places, and have been interpreted by us to enable us to make this document flow and be comprehensive to the best of our ability.
Firstly let us explain the use of the word/term "Carnaval" (Note the spelling) which is the word/term used widely and often in this website and as used by the members of the Sandgropers club. It has exactly the same meaning as the English word "Carnival", but in the Netherlands and in particular "Limburg" it is spelt "Carnaval" this is the spelling which we have adopted within our club and is contained in our name.
.... Our humble beginnings
The Carnavals Club "The Sandgropers" had its beginnings in Perth at the Dutch Society "Neerlandia" situated at 230 Cambridge Street, Wembley, back in the year 1975. The brain child of several of the Committee members in office at that time of which a couple were from Maastricht, the southern part of the Netherlands, regarded by Limburgers as the capital of "Dutch Carnaval".
.... The name Sandgroper
The original Carnaval group embarked on the name "The Sandgropers" which was based on a "grub" found in the
Swan Coastal Plain and Northern wheat belt areas in W. A.
The term "Sandgropers" has a long history as a colloquial name for people born and raised in Western Australia
which we understand was the name implied to them due to the fact that they live on sandy coastal plains and that very little vegetation grows in these sand plains.
We assume that this term was applied by our Eastern seaboard counterparts.
(There is a link reference on the next page, which you can follow to find a full description and picture of an actual Sandgroper).
.... The only Carnavals club in W. A.
We have always been and still are the only, and "traditional Dutch" Carnavals group in Western Australia. Our group was formed and originated out of the migrant population that arrived in Western Australia during the period 1949 -1954 (Approximately), when there was a great influx of migrants from Europe, bringing with them many and varied traditions one being, namely "Carnaval" which has since, been carried on in Australia, albeit that they have been transformed to suit our needs and our particular environment.
