The celebration of a Mardi-Gras like festival is said to go back in time to the ancient Romans. The Romans held a festival to honor their god of fertility. Eventually the idea of a festival spread throughout Europe. The English have a “Pancake Tuesday,” before for the beginning of lent, and the French also indulge in celebration on the day before Lent. It was the French who brought the celebration of Mardi-Gras to Louisiana in 1699. People use to buy expensive clothing and masks, and party late into the night. From then on, Louisiana has celebrated Mardi-Gras to the fullest indulgence, by drinking, partying, and eating everything insight. Mardi-Gras is a French term meaning, “Fat Tuesday,” referring to being indulgent before Lent begins on the following Wednesday. Mardi-Gras has grown into a world-wide phenomenon; people from all around the world come to visit Louisiana during Mardi-Gras to see what makes it great and continuous.
With the celebration of Mardi-Gras comes many different traditions such as king cakes, beads, the colors purple, gold, and green, doubloons, and masks and costumes. A king cake is baked in honor of the three wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus on the Twelfth Night. A plastic baby is placed inside each king cake, and the person who gets the baby is suppose to host the next king cake party. The cake is usually baked and covered with icing and the traditional Mardi-Gras colors of green, purple, and gold. Today the cakes can be filled with numerous combinations of custards and jams. The King of Carnival, Rex, chose the colors and meaning the colors of Mardi-Gras in 1892. The color purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold stands for power. In the 1840’s parade riders threw beads and sugar coated almonds out into the crown as souvenirs. The beads were made out of glass, but today they are made out of a material that is less harmful when thrown. Rex began to throw doubloons in 1884. Each doubloon has an image of the parade theme on one side and a picture of the Krewe’s emblem on the other side. Other items that are thrown during the parade include plastic cups, also called New Orleans dinnerware, and stuffed animals. During Mardi-Gras it is tradition to ware a costume, not only for float riders, but also for parade goers. People also ware masks, in a few places it is law to ware a mask when riding on a float.
The celebration of Mardi-Gras has continued on for decades in the South. It has changed in appearance and deliverance over the years since the French introduced it in 1699, but it still has the same meaning. Mardi-Gras brings people of all ages together for a time of joy and excitement. People can put aside their differences and come together for a day of celebration. Mardi-Gras is embedded in the culture and the people of Louisiana.
The celebration of Mardi-Gras has continued on for decades in the South. It has changed in appearance and deliverance over the years since the French introduced it in 1699, but it still has the same meaning. Mardi-Gras brings people of all ages together for a time of joy and excitement. People can put aside their differences and come together for a day of celebration. Mardi-Gras is embedded in the culture and the people of Louisiana.
Kaitlyn Machen
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