Mardi Gras History, Traditions and Foods
- Mardi Gras' roots may have started in the Roman celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility festival, held in mid-February. Christianity established the tradition of "Fat Tuesday" or, in French, "Mardi Gras" as a celebration before the rigors of Lent. Founded by the French in 1718, by the 1730s, New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras with society balls. In 1781, a carnival was held and the Perseverance Benevolent and Mutual Aid Association was the first of many clubs and organizations formed to organize activities. By the late 1830s, street processions were added. The throwing of trinkets to the crowd started in 1871. In 1872, businessmen introduced the idea of a king of carnival--Rex--to the first daytime parade. They may have been inspired by the visit of Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff at the time. They also came up with the colors of purple, representing justice, green for faith and gold for power as well as the anthem "If Ever I Cease to Love" and a flag.
- The first parade of Mardi Gras is one of its oldest, most colorful and popular--the Zulu Parade. Originally started in 1901 by members of a benevolent society for the New Orleans Black community, the group expanded into the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club or "Zulus" in 1909. Its parade is the official start of Mardi Gras. Zulu members originally wore black face and grass skirts and danced to the sound of African drum music. In 1910, the first coconut was thrown into the crowds. These coconuts later were cleaned, decorated and gilded and became known as "golden nuggets" and are highly prized. Among the Zulu parade kings were Louis Armstrong and Count Basie.
- Mardi Gras in the 1800s was rowdy, often dangerous and almost banned when a small group of citizens intervened to organize the festival into a safer event in 1857. Using their experience in organizing parades in nearby Mobile, Alabama, "Comus" was formed as a group to give structure to the event. Comus first used the term "krewes," which is Greek for revelers, for the groups who are represented in the parade and sponsor activities. Comus restored beauty and security to Mardi Gras and established the traditions of themed parades with floats and costumed maskers and a tableau ball.
- Mardi Gras' popular food for breakfast, dessert and anytime is the King Cake. Beginning in early January until Ash Wednesday, locals and tourists buy cakes from bakeries and grocery stores. The simple yeast and flour coffee cake's origin started in the middle ages as a symbol of the three wise men or kings. At the end of Christmas and the start of Epiphany, children received presents along with a cake. As the tradition changed, a small figure of a baby was baked inside, representing Jesus. The person who receives the slice of cake with the baby must buy the next cake.
- Soon after the Civil War, the torch or "flambeaux" bearers lit the way for the opening parade of Mardi Gras. Former slaves and freed men dressed in robes carried heavy torches through New Orleans streets and twirled the beacons in the air to entertain the crowds. Parade watchers often tossed coins to reward the carriers. The tradition has evolved into a choreographed performance and selection as a flambeaux carrier is considered a great honor.
- In 1722, African slaves replaced Chickasaw, Choctaw and Blackfoot Indians as the first laborers who built New Orleans. The Indians sheltered runaway slaves in the bayous until after the Civil War. The Black community never forgot that aid. The addition of the Mardi Gras "Indians" as a krewe began in the late 1800s with Blacks from the inner city. The Indians have some of the most colorful costumes of Mardi Gras. Worn only once, a costume can cost $15,000 and take one year to make with thousands of hand-sewn beads and feathers and may weigh up to fifty pounds.
