About Mardi Gras

About Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is a yearly holiday that is celebrated by Catholics the day before Ash Wednesday. This day is called Mardi gras or Fat Tuesday. Ash Wed. starts the Lenten period, it last 40 days and ends Easter. Our particular courier has some of the oldest traditions that can be traced back to ancient European rituals.

The celebration begins early in the morning. The Mardi gras meet to gather on trailers pulled by trucks. They roam the country roads to houses. Once arriving at these homes the captain approaches the owners of the home to ask permission for the Mardi Gras to get down.

In exchange for their performing their 400+ year old song/chant and their witty antics and dancing, they are given either money or food for their feast that will be prepared later that day after their run. The feast is usually gumbo. Sometimes a live chicken is given, and is thrown from the roof of a barn. The Mardi gras then chase the chicken; this is where a live chicken run comes from. This a sight , because everything goes, where ever the chicken runs the Mardi Gras are right behind.

The day continues with many stops and ends with the feast. In our courier, the men, women and children all have their own runs and dances. The two weeks are very busy for Mardi Gras as many dances and performances are held. At the dances the Mardi Gras also perform their 400+ year old chant. The Mardi Gras are allowed to hide in the audience, under tables where ever they can find a hiding place. The captains carrying whips braided with burlap sacks,( the whips used for the children’s Mardi Gras are braided with yarn) try to get the Mardi Gras off the dance floor.

Although, this sounds as though this gets out of control, the captains are there to keep order. The Mardi Gras have to follow strict rules and attend weekly meetings weeks before the runs take place. Only traditional costumes are permitted and must be hand made with traditional mask and capuchons (Cone hats) The Mardi Gras also must learn the 400 year old chant. People come out from all over the world
to witness this age old tradition.