The Spirit of Mardi Gras
I can't speak for others, but as for myself, the spirit of Mardi Gras lives within.
I have to think that it's that way for most New Orleaneans. For the time being, I've relocated my family to Colorado, I've spent alot of time back in New Orleans and feel as close as I ever have to the things that make it so seductive. Mardi Gras embodies all that is New Orleans.
People from all over seem to think that Mardi Gras is a bunch of college kids getting naked and having sex in the middle of Bourbon Street. While that happens, and is as much a part of New Orleans as anything else, it's only a small part of the magic. On the surface Mardi Gras is Parading, Bands Marching, second lining, music, food, costumes, alcholhol, sex, exhibitionism, nudity and 1000 other things that I don't have time to type. But under the surface Its everything that is New Orleans. Everything that we do in our everyday lives ends up a part of Mardi Gras. And for those that want to say that Mardi Gras is a Godless party where there are no morals or limits, it is a religious celebration .You can find anything from G to XXX depending on how you want to celebrate but underneath everything Mardi Gras is simply unexplainable because it embodies different things to different people.
New Orleans historically is one of the most religious cities in the country. There are 142 Catholic Churches in the Orleans Plaquemine and St.Bernard Parishes alone. Thats about 1 Catholic church for every 3000 people and that doesn't include the Baptists, Methodists, Episcopals, Church of God, Presbyterians, Greek Orthodox, Lutherans, Jehovah Witness's and a whole slew of other religions. Catholicism is by far the biggest church in New Orleans and obviously has the largest influence. I think that you would be hard pressed to say that New Orleans is Godless. In fact I would think that if Jesus comes back it will probably be in New Orleans for reasons that I will gladly discuss one on one with anyone who cares to listen. Mardi Gras is based on religion. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday and is the 2 week period prior to the Catholic lentin season. It concludes on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and is basically a celebration that preceeds the fasting before Easter. It's sometimes called Carnival which means Separated from the Flesh......Catholics give up meat during lent. The two week period has become infamous for the non-stop party and like most things in New Orleans we do it to the extreme.
With that being said it's evolved past just being a religious holiday and I think that's where the magic begins. The Black population that come over from the Carribean and Africa during slavery brought with it alot of tradition which found it's way into Mardi Gras. They brought thier religions of Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santaria music, food and art . The Europeans contributed heavily with thier own religions, food , music and art. The Mardi Gras traditions are a melting pot of every culture that found it's way into this port city that have evolved into something that is completely unique from anything else in this world.
Theres the seduction. New Orleans grabs you like a curiosity tent at a carnival and sucks you in. I think that you become a part of New Orleans and not the other way around. She lets you become a part of her and then like an addict you are hooked. You can look through history and find a list of people that made New Orleans home and add to the mystery and magic. Start with Jean Lafitte the "Prince of New Orleans" and include Tennessee Williams, Mark Twain, Truman Capote, William Faulkner, Anne Rice, Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jelly Roll Morton. Theres a mojo working that gets to you and you are forever doomed to be a New Orleanean and contribute in some way to that magic.
I've been gone but everytime I hear Dr John or the Neville Brothers I'm quickly transported back south. I've experienced all of Mardi Gras over the years. I've been from one extreme: So drunk I couldn't remember the day, I've been in fights , watched the Gay parade, enjoyed the transvestites put on a show, I've seen naked people and have to say that I've probably been naked myself on more than one occasion. But I've also enjoyed being completely sober on Mardi Gras day , enjoyed being around families and sharing stories, food and drink with friends and family. I've seen the XXX side and I've absolutely enjoyed the family side of Mardi Gras.....and the two don't have to mix.
Like everyone else I've said that I would go to Mardi Gras and found myself there the next day and glad I went. Until you've stood on the curb with you child on your shoulders and danced to the loud bass drums of Saint Augustin High School marching band or yelled Throw me something mister to a stranger on a float and yelled Hey Dave, or Jim, or Sam or John....hoping you get lucky and get the name of someone on the float who will think you know them and throw you something. Unless you've smelled the horses as they pass, or the exhaust from the Farhad Grotto Dune Buggies or Motorcycles, Or see the bright colored parade lights in a completely dark night on top of an NOPD or JPSO police car as it moves slowly through the crowd. If you haven't been told to step back by a large guy with fingerless gloves and a stick in his hand as he walks beside one of the many young female dancing groups dancing to VERY LOUD dance music. Unless you've seen the Sheriff Harry Lee on his float in Metairie or seen King Rex, King Zulu, King Bacchas, or King Endymion. If you haven't been a part of a second line or thrown money to the Flambou carriers in New Orleans. If you haven't waited just to watch the street sweepers that come behind the parade with the yellow lights on top . If you haven't had a chance to see any one of the Big Chiefs of the Mardi Gras Indians.......................... If you don't know what Crawfish boiled in the back of a Pickup on the parade route smells like, or if you don't know what the significance of a Bucket of Chicken on Mardi Gras is. If you havent had to camp out in the Neutral ground the day before Mardi Gras to get a good spot for the next day. If you haven't done several or all of any of that......you haven't begun to experienced Mardi Gras.
But that's still not all of Mardi Gras....Mardi Gras i all of that and so much more.........
I'll tell you more later but suffice it to say.......On every end of the spectrum Mardi Gras can be just like Christmas Morning.
I have to think that it's that way for most New Orleaneans. For the time being, I've relocated my family to Colorado, I've spent alot of time back in New Orleans and feel as close as I ever have to the things that make it so seductive. Mardi Gras embodies all that is New Orleans.
People from all over seem to think that Mardi Gras is a bunch of college kids getting naked and having sex in the middle of Bourbon Street. While that happens, and is as much a part of New Orleans as anything else, it's only a small part of the magic. On the surface Mardi Gras is Parading, Bands Marching, second lining, music, food, costumes, alcholhol, sex, exhibitionism, nudity and 1000 other things that I don't have time to type. But under the surface Its everything that is New Orleans. Everything that we do in our everyday lives ends up a part of Mardi Gras. And for those that want to say that Mardi Gras is a Godless party where there are no morals or limits, it is a religious celebration .You can find anything from G to XXX depending on how you want to celebrate but underneath everything Mardi Gras is simply unexplainable because it embodies different things to different people.
New Orleans historically is one of the most religious cities in the country. There are 142 Catholic Churches in the Orleans Plaquemine and St.Bernard Parishes alone. Thats about 1 Catholic church for every 3000 people and that doesn't include the Baptists, Methodists, Episcopals, Church of God, Presbyterians, Greek Orthodox, Lutherans, Jehovah Witness's and a whole slew of other religions. Catholicism is by far the biggest church in New Orleans and obviously has the largest influence. I think that you would be hard pressed to say that New Orleans is Godless. In fact I would think that if Jesus comes back it will probably be in New Orleans for reasons that I will gladly discuss one on one with anyone who cares to listen. Mardi Gras is based on religion. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday and is the 2 week period prior to the Catholic lentin season. It concludes on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and is basically a celebration that preceeds the fasting before Easter. It's sometimes called Carnival which means Separated from the Flesh......Catholics give up meat during lent. The two week period has become infamous for the non-stop party and like most things in New Orleans we do it to the extreme.
With that being said it's evolved past just being a religious holiday and I think that's where the magic begins. The Black population that come over from the Carribean and Africa during slavery brought with it alot of tradition which found it's way into Mardi Gras. They brought thier religions of Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santaria music, food and art . The Europeans contributed heavily with thier own religions, food , music and art. The Mardi Gras traditions are a melting pot of every culture that found it's way into this port city that have evolved into something that is completely unique from anything else in this world.
Theres the seduction. New Orleans grabs you like a curiosity tent at a carnival and sucks you in. I think that you become a part of New Orleans and not the other way around. She lets you become a part of her and then like an addict you are hooked. You can look through history and find a list of people that made New Orleans home and add to the mystery and magic. Start with Jean Lafitte the "Prince of New Orleans" and include Tennessee Williams, Mark Twain, Truman Capote, William Faulkner, Anne Rice, Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jelly Roll Morton. Theres a mojo working that gets to you and you are forever doomed to be a New Orleanean and contribute in some way to that magic.
I've been gone but everytime I hear Dr John or the Neville Brothers I'm quickly transported back south. I've experienced all of Mardi Gras over the years. I've been from one extreme: So drunk I couldn't remember the day, I've been in fights , watched the Gay parade, enjoyed the transvestites put on a show, I've seen naked people and have to say that I've probably been naked myself on more than one occasion. But I've also enjoyed being completely sober on Mardi Gras day , enjoyed being around families and sharing stories, food and drink with friends and family. I've seen the XXX side and I've absolutely enjoyed the family side of Mardi Gras.....and the two don't have to mix.
Like everyone else I've said that I would go to Mardi Gras and found myself there the next day and glad I went. Until you've stood on the curb with you child on your shoulders and danced to the loud bass drums of Saint Augustin High School marching band or yelled Throw me something mister to a stranger on a float and yelled Hey Dave, or Jim, or Sam or John....hoping you get lucky and get the name of someone on the float who will think you know them and throw you something. Unless you've smelled the horses as they pass, or the exhaust from the Farhad Grotto Dune Buggies or Motorcycles, Or see the bright colored parade lights in a completely dark night on top of an NOPD or JPSO police car as it moves slowly through the crowd. If you haven't been told to step back by a large guy with fingerless gloves and a stick in his hand as he walks beside one of the many young female dancing groups dancing to VERY LOUD dance music. Unless you've seen the Sheriff Harry Lee on his float in Metairie or seen King Rex, King Zulu, King Bacchas, or King Endymion. If you haven't been a part of a second line or thrown money to the Flambou carriers in New Orleans. If you haven't waited just to watch the street sweepers that come behind the parade with the yellow lights on top . If you haven't had a chance to see any one of the Big Chiefs of the Mardi Gras Indians.......................... If you don't know what Crawfish boiled in the back of a Pickup on the parade route smells like, or if you don't know what the significance of a Bucket of Chicken on Mardi Gras is. If you havent had to camp out in the Neutral ground the day before Mardi Gras to get a good spot for the next day. If you haven't done several or all of any of that......you haven't begun to experienced Mardi Gras.
But that's still not all of Mardi Gras....Mardi Gras i all of that and so much more.........
I'll tell you more later but suffice it to say.......On every end of the spectrum Mardi Gras can be just like Christmas Morning.
posted by Tim at 3:41 PM
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