When first viewing this picture, my initial reaction would be New Orleans, Louisiana. This picture represents Louisiana because of the attire, drinking, number of people in the background, the beads, and the festive lights. The attire represents Louisiana because when people see purple, gold, and green they think of Louisiana because this is where Mardi Gras is annually held. Lent is the annual pre-Lenten Carnival that is celebrated around the world and ends with a grand finale called Mardi Gras. The purple represents justice, the green represents faith, and the gold represents power. New Orleans hosts the largest Mardi Gras in America, and in 2006, despite its struggle to recover from Hurricane Katrina, which hit in September 2005, the city held strong to this tradition. Literally, Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday," the day before the season of Lent begins. For centuries people around the globe participate in these traditions and holidays.
Louisiana is not known particularly for drinking, however New Orleans is known for binge drinking. Alison Motluk, a journalist from New Orleans, writes: People who go on drinking binges are at the greatest risk of killing off brain cells. They tend to knock back half a dozen or more drinks in succession after long periods of abstinence. About 40 per cent of college students and many elderly alcoholics drink this way. There are several colleges in New Orleans as well as in the surrounding towns including Louisiana State University. Since the girls in the photograph are holding multiple alcoholic beverages, one would think that binge drinking would not be out of the question.
New Orleans is also known for the number of people that crowd the streets every night, pushing and shoving their way to the next bar. Having experienced New Orleans during many parades and holidays, including Mardi Gras, I have been on multiple occasions when someone cannot even raise hands over shoulders or turn in a complete circle. So many people journey to this place for the vivacious atmosphere and crowds, the town becomes “clogged” from street to street of people shoulder to shoulder.
Beads are handed and tossed out on the streets of Louisiana all through the week of Mardi Gras festivals. Thrown beads in the 1960s were Czechoslovakian glass beads. However, due to rising costs and the probability of injury, glass beads were replaced with plastic beads around 1970. Glass beads are considered authentic beads and can be purchased at many New Orleans tourist shops, as well as boutiques. There are two kinds of beads. MOT beads and hand-strung beads are as unique and different as their names. MOT beads are molded on thread. Hand strung beads are, beads that are strung on the thread by hand. Even though both are thrown, the MOT beads are the most common. Thus acquiring the nickname "thrown beads." This too would be a strong inclination of some place in Louisiana.
Lastly, the festive lights are all over New Orleans, lighting up the night streets. The neon signs in the background hint at the idea of a big, city. In conclusion, all of these come together collaboratively to show how the picture represents Louisiana.