Mardi gras celebrated in early spring around Louisiana. Urban cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge have fancy parades with bright lights, celebrity kings and queens, and shiny beads. Growing up in south Louisiana, I attended many of these parades in the Big Easy. My grandparents would tell stories of rural Mardi gras and about the Cajun culture. After hearing the stories, I decided to attend the courir de Mardi gras. The courir de Mardi gras is a traditional Mardi gras event held the Tuesday before the catholic lent season. This is known as Fat Tuesday.
We arrived early on a chilly early spring morning in the small farm town known as Mamou, Louisiana. Traveling down Main Street, The brick buildings and store fronts reminded me of a typical
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The riders donned costumes of bright colored cloth. Similar to a scarecrow in the wizard of oz, the costumes consisted of pieces of cloth sewn into burlap sacks or old shirts and pants. The hats were tall and pointed looking like the dunce caps. The masks rivaled that of Halloween masks. The rowdy bunch quieted when a rider draped with a royal purple cape appeared. Capitan, as I was told, was the leader of the Mardi gras ride. He held a white flag in one hand and a whip into the other. Crack, The whip swooshed through the air making an unmistakable sound. Capitan barked out orders to the costumed riders. Dance, Beg or whatever you got to do to get ingredients for the gumbo, he yelled. As, captain mounted his horse all of the riders were yelling and whooping. In a horse drawn wagon, Musicians started playing the zydeco music once again. The riders excited started dancing some of them on top of their horses. Capitan yelled Laissez bon temps rouler and started galloping down the street. All of the riders slowly followed on top of their steeds singing and drinking. We followed along on one of the horse drawn …show more content…
We rode along on the country side. For as far as the eye could see was farm land. The majority of the crops are rice. This time of year though the farmers flood the rice fields to farm another delicacy of Cajuns, crawfish. After a short ride, we reached the first farm. It was a small quaint farm with a small white wooden house and an old wood barn. The farmer and his wife walked up to the captain and were speaking quietly. From what I was told was the captain was asking permission to come on his farm and to offer dancing for any charity. The riders waiting anticipally for the captain to wave his flag. The flag was suddenly waved and the riders raced onto the property. The farmer grabbed a chicken from his coup by the legs. He raised it in the air and released it. Several costumed riders frantically jumped off of their horses and began chasing the chicken around the farm. While this was going on, the band began to play a familiar tune. One of the costumed men asked the farmer's wife to dance as an offering for their generosity. The two were stomping and swaying her and their following the timing of the music. Other joined in the festivities. Drinking, smiling and laughing occurred, as the riders finally caught the chicken. Capitan cracked his whip and the procession moved to the next farm. This continued for most of the day. The procession made its way back to town. All
Social Aid and Pleasure clubs played a key role in the community organizing a counterpart to Mardi Gras. Groups with their own long and distinct histories such as the Black Indians, now called Mardi Gras Indians, skull and bone gangs, baby dolls, and brass bands would all parade for the African American version of Mardi Gras. This practice spanned the turn of the century through the birth of the civil rights era in the 1950’s. Even though Mardi Gras is no longer segregated, these practices remain an integral part of Mardi Gras in African American communities in New Orleans because they have been cemented as crucial aspects of community pride and cultural identity ( ). These Mardi Gras practices, the second line parades that occur year round, social aid and pleasure clubs, and of course jazz music are still an extremely significant part of many black communities in New Orleans today but there are numerous societal pressures being exercised on these communities that are putting their cultural practices in
Mardi Gras has spread throughout the ages, and will continue to expand. Festive traditions of Mardi Gras have spread overseas to New Orleans, Louisiana, Cadiz, Spain, Venice, Italy, and Rio de Janeiro. In the United States the celebration goes above and beyond. With the parades in New Orleans and the balls in St. Louis, the U.S is full of tradition. Krewes who work behind the scenes plan for months to prepare for the extravagant festival. Along with planning, they gather any thing green, gold, or purple to attach to their floats. All this work leads up to the insane party of a holiday which most people think is incredible and fun. Everyone is invited to celebrate , and to have a good time during Mardi
T'S MARDI GRAS!!!!! Yes, New Orleans' famous Carnival season is this years' never-ending party and you're invited. Mardi Gras, famous for its colorful and cultural parades, is an experience you can't go any longer w/out! The Streets are packed with both tourists and Native Louisianans as they celebrate Mardi Gras in full color and sound. . The Huge Parades come flashing down the street we fresh music, an explosion of lights, and spectacular floats. Everyone is having a great time, enjoying the festivities of the parade. So you're new to Mardi Gras, but don't want to act like it? Here in brief, are the basic facts about Americas' greatest party.
Mardi Gras is a wonderful holiday that attracted everyone from the country to come to the city, even though the holiday was not from New Orleans. Mardi Gras
The similarities of these two thrilling streets, is not only the entertainment, but the great times they both offer. Nevertheless, while the citizens that reside in the metropolitan area would agree that they cherish their street, just the same as Memphians do their Beale Street. While both present unlimited good times, they both hold special values that separates themselves. For Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras is the top event that is held at Bourbon and is primarily what Bourbon is known for. Mardi Gras is a festival that is held once a year, primarily after lent, which has originated from a catholic culture. During this festival, people are dressed up in exotic feathers, beads, and the unforgettable green and purple. Beale Street, is the birthplace of the blues and rock n roll, the original entertainment spot, and the home for some of the oldest bar and pubs. But, what makes Beale different from Bourbon is not only the music and the goats in Silkys, but the Beale Street
We set sail from England to create the first permanent settlement in North America. We could only go to North America, because our king, King George, granted us charter to establish a colony named Virginia. We landed in Virginia around May 13, 1607, and created a fort called Jamestown. We built our fort on a peninsula, which my friends and fellow shipmates died by diseases. We came much unprepared for this type of life. Most of us came for gold, silver, lumber, and furs in which we could sell in Europe.
New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville. By the 1730s, Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with the parades we know today. In the early 1740s, Louisiana's governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls, which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today.
The festival of Mardi Gras came to North America from Paris, where it had been commended following the Middle Ages. In 1699, French adventurer Iberville and his men investigated the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico. On a recognize 60 miles south of the present area of New Orleans, they set up camp on the stream's West Bank. Realizing that the day, March 3, was being commended as a significant occasion in France, they initiated the site Point du Mardi Gras.
For people in Texas they get excited for rodeos or a Cowboys football game but, down in Louisiana on Bourbon St they have a 2 week span party called Mardi Gras. From Shrove Tuesday all the way to a day before Ash Wednesday. Each night has a small parade until the last 5-7 days this is when the big parades are. Social clubs like the Krews organize Mardi Gras. Girls who go can win prizes like get thrown mardi gras necklaces from the boys above. For the men their is only one big prize called The REX .
As Thanksgiving is being headed into I have multiple things to be thankful for in my life. I am very fortunate for everything in my existence. Many people don’t have the things I do. Citizens in Kenya and Africa and multiple other places live in small shacks and barely get enough to eat. Plus while we’ll be gorging ourselves tomorrow on this thankful holiday they will still only be getting about one small meal to eat. I’m not only thankful for a good source of food, but I have many other things I have to feel grateful for. One of these things being is my house and yard. I live on a lake which is a huge luxury for some people and I am very fortunate to have this. I also have a large yard filled with things to do. Another group i can be grateful
Henderson seniors can keep uplifted during the Thanksgiving season by attending a local holiday event. Participating in activities will help them cultivate new friendships, connect with their community and build their self-esteem. The following local Thanksgiving events older adults will thoroughly enjoy:
It all starts with the crack of a firework and the sizzle as the sparks drift slowly back to earth. In the distance you can hear the crying of little kids, terrified by the booming sounds, along with the "oohs" and "ahs" of the people in the little town enjoying the firework show. Following the thirty minute show, families file up the beach stairs to return to the comfort of their own beds. In the morning they will participate in the yearly parade.
I will use a variety of sources so my information can go in depth. Anyone who will read my research paper will end up becoming an expert in Louisiana’s Mardi Gras traditions. Mardi Gras developed into a festival for everyone to come together and have the time of their lives. I hope to be able to share what I have found over the past few weeks with my audience and the people who read this. If someone who knew nothing about Mardi Gras was to read my paper than I hope they end up knowing everything about Carnival, its foods, colors, festivities, etc. This research paper has enough information to to teach anyone about the meaning of Mardi Gras and its traditions that
Mardi Gras in Mobile, also known as Carnival, starts in November and officially kicks off on twelfth night, which occured on January 6th. Though there are lots of private associations, such as Krewes that hold their own masquerade balls and king cake parties, there are many free public events to attend this season.
In 2014, I decided to have my mom a Mardi Gras themed 50th birthday party. Chris and I decided to drive to New Orleans on a Friday afternoon, the weekend after Mardi Gras, just to buy decorations for the party. We drove back on Sunday and, therefore, we spent Saturday sightseeing New Orleans. This may sound insane to most people, but we love spontaneous trips like this. Since this was my mom’s birthday party, naturally we asked her to go with us to help pick out decorations. We also asked Chris’s mom to go because we wanted to have a fun weekend with our moms. This was the first trip that we took with both mom’s together and how our travelling as an entire family started. The trip to New Orleans was also before the blog was even thought