It is time for people from all over the country to gather in Louisiana for another year to celebrate one of the most famous festivals ever, Mardi Gras. For some who live in Louisiana, Mardi Gras is just another old and boring celebration tourists take to the extreme. It includes seeing outrageous, unnecessary acts and obscene exposure.
Recently, the celebration has caused the people from Louisiana or other places to become vicious and wild. This tradition clearly should not unite these issues; it only should bring culture and people together. Mardi Gras is derived from a history full of people, heritage and ideas. It includes all different aspects of Louisiana’s culture, such as celebrating the tradition of Mardi Gras Indians, and how it first came to Louisiana.
In 1699, Mardi Gras came to New Orleans through the French heritage celebrated along the Mississippi River’s banks. Orleanians established krewes, which are organizations that host parades and balls, which are formal dances. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, and its date is determined from the Catholic Church calendar used to determine Easter. Colors also are used throughout the season. They symbolize different things — purple represents justice, green symbolizes faith and gold stands for power.
Mardi Gras also dates back to when slaves were brought from Africa to Louisiana and mixed in with Native Americans in the 1720s. In 1783, the first black Mardi Gras group was the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Association.
Many different aspects of the Mardi Gras tradition exist. Costumes, king cakes, parades and balls all are part of the festival. Every year during the Mardi Gras season, balls overtake New Orleans. Traditionally, these balls are filled with people in lavish, elegant gowns, which come from the Creole bals du roi, or “king parties.” People celebrate the Creole bals du roi on the 12th night after Christmas. Since 1871, the Twelfth Night revelers have celebrated the same tradition. They may vary in formality, but all share similarities with earlier traditions.
In the 19th century, krewes added touches to the balls, such as theatre and dance. Masquerade balls (also called French balls) feature masked dancers. In 1895, the first large women’s krewe formed the Les Mysterieuses. The power of their masks lies in disguising individuals so they can escape their lives and dive into the world of Mardi Gras.
Parades are scheduled all over New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. They feature floats, which are decorated platforms that cars pull through the streets. A group goes through an area and throws beads, cups, toys and other materials to the onlookers. These krewes are named after a mythological hero or Greek god.
In addition, the Mardi Gras Indians from New Orleans form a large part of the city’s celebration. The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council was established in 1987 to help maintain the American Indian culture. African-American neighborhoods eventually developed their own style of Mardi Gras. These groups name their krewes after imaginary Indian tribes. According to the group’s history, the people who participated named themselves after native Indians to show respect to them for helping them escape the tyranny of slavery. Today, when two tribes pass each other, they engage in competition, which includes live art and theatre.
Today there are many aspects of Mardi Gras to celebrate other than negative ones. Nudity, violence and outrageous actions on Bourbon Street simply are not needed.
Mardi Gras is not an excuse for Louisiana’s residents or tourists to go wild away from their everyday lives, but it is about learning about different cultures, participating in Louisiana’s heritage and having a fun, but safe, time.