Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Introduction
In this final project we are going to talk about the Mardi Gras festival, specifically in
New Orleans, since this is the most representative place of the carnival.
We will inquire about the history, the traditions, what is done during the carnival, the
colors and the typical costumes.

We chose this carnival because we find it an interesting celebration with many

traditions and a lot of history.

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday, a tradition, and a massive carnival that many
people (residents and tourists) attend. This free carnival is celebrated every year for
a period of one to three months in New Orleans, Louisiana, in which the streets
come alive with music, art, costumes, colorful necklaces, masks, floats, king cake,
and parades that are organized by social clubs known as krewes. Also, the people
that are in the floats, throw strings of colorful plastic beads, doubloons, decorated
plastics, Moon Pies, and small inexpensive toys.

This day, banks are closed, and some businesses and other places with security
concerns post signs asking people to remove their masks before entering.

This tradition dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and
fertility, including the raucous Roman festivals of Saturnalia (celebration of Saturn,
the Roman god of agriculture and time) and Lupercalia.

When Christianity arrived in Rome, religious leaders decided to incorporate these

popular local traditions into the new faith. As a result, the excess and debauchery of
the Mardi Gras season (eating rich and fatty foods) became a prelude to Lent, the 40
days of fasting and eating only fish, and penance between Ash Wednesday and
Easter Sunday.
Where is Mardi Gras celebrated?
This carnival is also celebrated in other parts of the world, but New Orleans is the
most representative place of this celebration.
Mardi Gras spread from Rome to other European countries, like France, Germany,
Spain, and England.

What does Mardi Gras mean?

“Mardi” is the French word for Tuesday, and “Gras” means fat.
In France, the day before Ash Wednesday came to be known as Mardi Gras, or “Fat
Tuesday”.

Another common name for the pre-Lenten festivities, also derives from this feasting
tradition. In Medieval Latin, carnelevarium means to take away or remove meat.

When is Mardi Gras?

The carnival starts with the beginning of the Twelfth Night, on January 6. From that
day on, you begin to see floats, masked balls, the king cake, and parades.
Two weeks before “Fat Tuesday”, a daily parade can be observed. The most colorful
and elaborate parades take place the last five days of the season.
In the last week of carnival, many activities (some of them masquerade balls) take
place throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities.

One day before the Mardi Gras, it’s Lundi Gras.

Mardi Gras is celebrated on “Fat Tuesday'', the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

What is Twelfth Night?

Twelfth Night is the beginning of the carnival, taking place twelve days after
Christmas (hence its name) on January 6th.

It starts with the Joan of Arc parade that marches through the Quarter. Once this
finish we move onto the Twelfth Night Masquerade Ball and the ride of the Phunny
Phorty Phellows, a group of gentlemen who board the St. Charles streetcar with
great fanfare Uptown to herald the arrival of Carnival.
What is done during the carnival (days between Epiphany and Mardi Gras)?
This period is used to eat, drink and be merry to one’s content before the fasting and
sacrifice during Lent. It is filled with different parades, balls and other various
celebrations leading up to Mardi Gras.

What is Lundi Gras?

Lundi Gras, also called “Fat Monday” or “Shrove Monday” happens the day before
Mardi Gras day, and it's considered a fun day of pre-partying for Fat Tuesday.

There are a variety of events to attend that day, for example, the Fat Monday
Luncheon, the multiple parades that take place all day, the Zulu Lundi Gras Festival,
Riverwalk’s 34th Annual Lundi Gras, as well as music shows that prepare you for the
big day.

Mardi Gras closing

Mardi Gras formally ends when the Kings of Rex, the king and queen of the
carnival,and the king and queen of the Mistick Krewe of Comus (oldest association)
gather with their subjects.
When this meeting takes place, a dance is held in the municipal auditorium of the
city.

At midnight, a squad of horse-mounted police begin to clear the street, saying that
Mardi Gras is over and Lent has begun.
It is considered disrespectful to wear Mardi Gras necklaces during Lent.
Mardi Gras History
The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced to medieval Europe, passing through Rome
and Venice in the 17th and 18th centuries to the French House of the Bourbons.
From here, the traditional revelry of “Boeuf Gras”, followed France to her colonies.

On March 2, 1699, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville, a French-Canadian

explorer, arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans, and
named it “Pointe du Mardi Gras” when his men realized it was the eve of the festive
holiday. In 1703, the tiny settlement of “Fort Louis de la Louisiane” (now Mobile)
celebrated America’s first Mardi Gras.

In 1704, Mobile established a secret society (nowadays, known as krewes), named

“Masque de la Mobile”, that lasted until 1709.
In 1711, the “Boeuf Gras Society” (Fatted Ox Society) together with Mobile,
organized the first informal carnival. The procession was held with a huge bull’s
head, pushed along on wheels by sixteen men. Later, “Rex” would parade with an
actual bull, draped in white and signaling the coming Lenten meat fast.
This occurred on Fat Tuesday.

In the 1730’s, Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with
parades. In the 1740’s, Louisiana’s governor (the Marquis de Vaudreuil), established
elegant society balls, which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras ball
of today.
By 1743, Mardi Gras seemed like a well-established tradition.

In 1781, appears the earliest reference to Mardi Gras “Carnival”, in a report to the
Spanish colonial governing body. That year, the “Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual
Aid Association” was the first of hundreds of carnival organizations and clubs formed
in New Orleans.

By the late 1830’s, New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages
and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras.
The gaslight torches or “flambeaux” lit the way for the krewe’s members.
In 1856, six young Mobile natives formed the “Mistick Krewe of Comus”, calling John
Milton’s hero Comus to represent their organization. This organization brought to
New Orleans, magic and mystery with their floats (tableaux cars) and masked balls.
The krewe members of “Mistick Krewe of Comus” remained anonymous.

In 1870, Mardi Gras second Krewe, the “Twelfth Night Revelers”, was formed.
Then, newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance, and they
printed “Carnival Edition” lithographs of parades and fantastic floats.

In 1872, a group of businessmen invented a King of Carnival, Rex, to preside over

the first daytime parade. To honor the visiting of the Russian Grand Duke Alexis
Romanoff, the businessmen introduced Romanoff’s family colors of purple, green
and gold as the Carnival’s official colors. Also, in this Mardi Gras season, the
Carnival’s improbable anthem, “If I Ever Cease to Love”, was cemented, due in part
to the Duke’s fondness for the tune.

The following year, the floats began to be constructed entirely in New Orleans
instead of France.

In 1875, Governor Warmoth signed the “Mardi Gras Act”, making “Fat Tuesday” a
legal holiday in Louisiana.

On many occasions, some situations, like wars, economic and political crises, and
severe climatic conditions characteristic of the area, for example; American Civil
War, World War II, and Hurricane Katrina; the main parades have not been held, at
least in the city of New Orleans.

In 1991, a law passed obliging all organizations, including Mardi Gras clubs, no to
discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientations. Those that
didn’t obey the law, wouldn’t receive permits for parades or any other type of public
license. Also, this law forced the krewes to reveal the names of their members and
suspend their secret codes.
Some krewes protested, because they thought that was an invasion of privacy.
Today, most of the Mardi Gras krewes are private social clubs with restrictive
membership policies, since all these parade organizations are fully funded by their
members.

How is the city government involved?

City governments aren’t involved in coordinating the Mardi Gras parades, they only
give to the krewes a permit to parade.
Krewes are the ones in charge of programming and coordinating their own parades.

What effects did Hurricane Katrina have on Mardi Gras?

Hurricane Katrina was a category 5 tropical cyclone that struck the southeastern
United States in late August 2005.

The city government went bankrupt after this natural disaster, so it pushed for a
reduced celebration to limit strains on city services. However, many krewers insisted
that they wanted to and would be ready to parade.

All parades were restricted to the route from Saint Charles Avenue Uptown to Canal
Street, a section of the city that escaped significant flooding.

Also, the city government restricted how long parades could be on the street and
how late at night they could end. National Guard troops assisted with crowd control
for the first time since 1979.
What impacts did the pandemic have on Mardi Gras?
The people of New Orleans love their traditions, but they understand the risk to
public health that Mardi Gras celebration would represent.

In 2020, the carnival wasn’t canceled and coincided with the increasing spread of
coronavirus disease 2019 in the United States.

In 2021, the carnival wasn’t canceled either, as it is a Catholic celebration, so it was

modified with strict protocols and safety recommendations, which include: social
distancing, use of masks, throwing ban to avoid causing large crowds, and greater
media coverage of the parades, so that people can see it from home. There were
also house floats, so as not to generate a large crowd.

In 2022 the carnival returned to normal.

What are the traditional colors?

★ Purple represents justice.
★ Green represents faith.
★ Gold represents power.

Mardi Gras Traditions

★ Balls and parties:
The balls are masked parties featuring, as entertainment, the performance of
scenes representing a specific theme.

Most of the balls are formal and private affairs for the krewe members.
Attendance at the aristocratic balls is by invitation only. The invitations are
originally die-cut and printed in Paris.

Some of the private carnival balls involve rituals and codes of behavior that
date back to the Old Regime of Europe before the Enlightenment.
The guests act like aristocrats and that night, they dress in an old European
royal court style.
Debutantes are introduced at the Ball Tableau as a formal introduction to
society.

In these balls, there is a King, a Queen, Princesses, Pages, Maids, and

Dukes. These are selected by the krewe and change annually. Their identity is
a closely guarded secret and part of the mystique until the night of the Ball.

Some krewes, like Chaos, d'Etat and Druids, do not have a Queen. By
contrast, Cleopatra, Femme Fatale, Muses Nyx and Pandora krewes, have no
King.
○ How do they choose the members of the court?
The method of selection of Mardi Gras royalty varies from krewe to
krewe.
Some krewes hold random drawings to choose their king or queen.
Other krewes select a prominent member or pick them by lottery the
day of the ball.
■ King: In Rex, the King of the carnival is always a prominent
member of the krewe. He is chosen by Rex’s inner circle, which
keeps the king’s identity secret until the Saturday before the
parade. The identity of the King is revealed the day before the
parade.
At the ball, the King is heavily masked and decorated in order to
conceal who he is.
■ Queen: In the most traditional krewes, the Queen is the
daughter of a long-time member and is chosen to honor the
father’s loyalty and extensive commitment to the krewe.
The Queen is chosen from a certain group of girls.
■ Maids: Are female krewe members who belong to a certain age
group. The age varies by krewes, but the most common group
of ages are college juniors or seniors.
■ Princesses: They are young girls that are in highschool or
younger. Their fathers are krewe members.
■ Pages: They are usually younger boys that help the King and
Queen throughout the night.
 To be on the ball court is an honor, but requires a ton of commitment,
connections, and a bit of cash.

○ What things do the Kings and Queens do?

The King and the Queen of each krewe work all year long for the
spectacular ball.

★ Krewes and social clubs:

A krewe is any group or organization of revelers to band together to host a
Mardi Gras ball, ride on a Mardi Gras parade float and participate in social
events throughout the year.

In Southwest Louisiana, there are more than 50 krewes, a number that

continues to grow each season. Each krewe is a part of a larger organization
called Krewe of Krewes that formed in 1979 when the area's krewes joined
together to create a parade for the community's enjoyment. Now the
culmination of Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras festivities, the Krewe of
Krewes Parade was first held in 1980.

Just as one pot of gumbo varies from the next, krewes are formed for many
different reasons and one can gain acceptance to a krewe in many different
ways. Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras krewes offer a fun way for all families
to get involved in the Carnival season.
Some examples of Krewes:
○ Krewe of Cosmos-Calcasieu Parish's First Merrymakers:
The Krewe of Cosmos was formed in 1951 by Mr. and Mrs. Clifton
Woods and Etie Lopez to provide entertainment and merriment for the
public as well as its members. The krewe was originally sponsored by
the "Fifty's Club" and all of its members were Fourth Degree Members
of the Knights of Columbus.

Today there are 220 members in the Krewe of Cosmos and a waiting
list to join. To be considered for membership, you must live west of the
 west fork of the Calcasieu River and be recommended by a current
member.

The krewe stays active throughout the year by visiting nursing homes
and hosting several membership events throughout the year such as
its annual membership party, crawfish ball, farewell to court party, a
krewe barbeque and the Krewe of Cosmos Walkers.

During the Mardi Gras season, Cosmos participates in Twelfth Night,

hosts a presentation and ball that is open to the public, the children's
parade, the Royal Gala and the Krewe of Krewes Parade.

○ Krewe of Contraband:
The Krewe of Contraband got its start at Russell Tritico's 1963 Oak
Park housewarming celebration. Local businessman Sammy Navarra
mentioned his desire to form a krewe and Ernest C. "Chuck" Schindler
handed him a check stating that he was the first member. Navarra sent
out 150 letters to local businesses asking them to join the krewe and
he received 103 acceptances. The primary purpose of the Krewe of
Contraband is to honor the women, daughters and sometimes
granddaughters of its members. Any descendant who has reached her
18th birthday and is unmarried is eligible to be chosen to serve on the
Royal Court.

○ Krewe of Omega:
The Krewe of Omega was formed in 1970 by Joseph Moffett Jr. and its
purpose is to provide social activities for the young and elderly. The
krewe also gives service awards to those who participate in the
improvement of the community and its people. Krewe of Omega was
formed to bring Mardi Gras activities to the black community. To this
day, it is the only Southwest Louisiana krewe to hold its own parade.
The parade is held each year on the Saturday prior to Mardi Gras.
 There are currently 46 members in Krewe of Omega and the
membership consists of willing members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
Rho Chi Chapter of Lake Charles and their spouses.

Activities held throughout the year include a June picnic for members
and a Christmas ball that includes a toy drive for local children. During
Mardi Gras the Krewe of Omega Parade rolls through downtown Lake
Charles and the krewe's annual Queen's Pageant is held.

○ Krewe of Mystique:
A trip to a Lafayette Mardi Gras ball led to the formation of this lady's
krewe. In 1973, the Krewe of Mystique held its first pageant. The
founders of the krewe were Mrs. Louis (Shirley) Bonin, Mrs. Howard
(Jennabeth) Smythe and Mrs. William (Monnie) Boyer. Each year a
local gentleman who has contributed a great deal to the welfare of the
community is chosen to serve as king.

○ Krewe des Amis:

In 1979, six couples gathered to form a new krewe. Translated, Krewe
des Amis means "group of friends” and this phrase expresses the real
idea behind the krewe, to celebrate the Carnival Season together.
Today this krewe, formed by Ken and Becky Istre, Andress and Sheryl
Abshire, A.J. and Barbara Abshire, Bert and Lottie Bollotte, Alvin and
Marsha Topham and Pat and Nancy Keating, is one of the area's
largest krewes. Membership to Krewe des Amis is by invitation only.

★ House floats:
Homes are chosen in one of two ways: Any local homeowner or business can
splash out the $15,000 it costs to have a building transformed. However,
those who donate any amount of money to the organization are also put into a
lottery—once a full $15,000 is raised, there is a drawing to see which house
will be decked out next.
 The Realm of Poseidon, also by the Krewe of Red Beans, features an
undersea theme with glittering marine life.

★ King Cake:
It is a thread that commemorates the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus.
Similar to the king's thread that is consumed in Mexico.
It’s eaten between Twelfth Night and Fat Tuesday.

The traditional New Orleans King Cake is an oval shaped coffee cake,
braided and covered in icing and sugar that is painted in purple, green, and
gold. Inside the cake there is a small plastic baby hidden.
The person who finds the baby, buys the next cake for the group the next
year.

★ Flambeaux:
Flambeaux it’s a long held tradition, torches were lit in order for the people to
see what was going on in the parade, now the torches are not needed for the
 same purpose since there’s lighting all over the city. Nonetheless it’s still being
used and it isn’t likely the tradition will be broken.

★ Boeuf Grass:
Means “fat ox” in French. It’s the ancient symbol of the last meat eaten before
the Lenten season of fasting and the end of the Carnival.

Until 1909, a live version was part of the Rex parade.

In 1959, a papier-maché version appeared and remains one of the most
recognizable symbols of Carnival.

★ Beads and Throws:

There are exactly what they sound like - items that krewe members on floats
throw to parade-goers as the floats pass by! Throws often include doubloons,
beads, cups, homemade trinkets, toys and more!
The throwing of trinkets to the crowds was started in the early 1870s by the
Twelfth Night Revelers, and is a time-honored expectation for young and old
alike.

In 1884, Rex started using medallions instead of trinkets. These medallions

are represented by today's doubloons, aluminum and anodized in many
different colors. They depict the parade theme on one side and the Krewe's
emblem on the other. They have become collectors items.
In the Bacchus parade, the King's float throws doubloons with the image of
the celebrity king on one side of the doubloon. If you're lucky enough to catch
one, hold onto it!

The most prized throws are the krewe's "signature throws." Zulu has its
famous coconuts and many other krewes offer hand-decorated items
including Muses shoes, Nyx purses, Alla genie lamps, Carrollton shrimp boots
and the list goes on. Most krewes have medallion beads that feature that
year's theme.
 Other popular throws include cups (otherwise known as New Orleans
dinnerware), long pearl beads and stuffed animals. Some throws even light
up.

Be warned! If you're at your first parade and reach down to pick up a

doubloon with your hand, your fingers may never be the same! Many stomp
on doubloons in their rush to claim them.

★ Doubloons:
Doubloons are like coins that are thrown from floats in carnival parades to
commemorate different krewes; this tradition dates back to 1960. Also these
doubloons are collectible.

★ Masks:
They are a symbol of mystery and intrigue when worn, especially during the
carnival or Mardi Gras.
The masks cover the wearer’s eyes or the entire face.

By law, all float riders must wear a mask while parading. Also, everyone can
wear a mask, because it’s legal, however, some stores or establishments that
are open on Mardi Gras ask that the masks be removed before entering.
○ Why do people usually wear masks?
People often wear masks during Mardi Gras because this element
arose in the past so that attendees could escape social class
restrictions for a few hours.

★ Costumes:
Mardi Gras is a colorful celebration, and people dress according to this.
Costumes are a must if you want to really get into the spirit. If costumes are
not for you, a sparkly headdress, a feather boa, a mask, sequins, pearls,
feathers, ribbons and pom poms or any striking accessories do the trick.
Something that you outfit must have are the representative colors of the
festival which are purple, green and gold.
 The variety of outfits is endless. Groups often adopt a theme when dressing
up: old TV show and movie characters with a bit of bling, superheroes with a
Gras Mardi bent, prostitutes, clowns and buffoons, aliens and animals.

Personal opinion
★ Gabriela: In my personal opinion, this festival breaks a lot with everything
"traditional". Since this festival from the time it was held, society was even
more classist than it is today, it is also a colorful festival and not widely heard.
It is very sad that this festival, due to the symbology that it has in being made,
is not as well known as other festivals, basically it is only a music theme.
Compared to other festivals I know, this festival has a lot of history to tell and
share. To me it is incredible how this festival brings together the history of a
country years ago with the present and how things are added to current times
every year.

★ Alondra: Personally, I would like to go to Mardi Gras, it is full of surprises and

an unforgettable experience. I love seeing all the dedication that people put
into making these kinds of events.

★ Andrea: After finishing the research on the Mardi Gras festival in New
Orleans, I came to the conclusion that this carnival is very interesting, full of
history, traditions, colors, joy, music, parties, dances, etc.
 This carnival is a very important tradition for New Orleans and for most of the
world, because despite the fact that some tragedies have occurred in the city
of New Orleans, such as Hurricane Katrina or the pandemic, the festival
continues to encourage people, so that they forget their problems.

★ Paola: Mardi Gras is a colorful celebration that has a long history. The way a
lot of people get involved in the process of making everything perfect it’s
amazing.

Everything has a meaning and it’s very detailed. The dedication and years of
history can be seen. And is really important not only for the citizens of New
Orleans but to more people around the world, since there's other places that
celebrate it but after the research we had done I understand why this one is
so well known.

Conclusion
We think that this festival is amazing, full of different activities that have their
meaning and the organizers think through every detail to make it perfect. Even if you
aren't catholic you can enjoy the parade and the other events that take place during
that period.

Mardi Gras is an important part of New Orleans history. The festival and the city had
grown, you can see it because things that were done in a certain way have evolved
to fit the world we are now. Which is an intelligent thing to do.

Bibliographic references:
● Carnival (2022). Mardigrasneworleans.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022, from

https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history/traditions/carnival

● Hardy, A. (2016, February 8). Why method of selecting Carnival royalty varies

by krewe. NOLA.Com. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from

https://www.nola.com/news/article_3a1d185c-4236-5dee-8a44-471e593ecb59

.html