D-Xirably Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and Multicultural!

Today is a great day for TWO AWESOME reasons! First, it is my AMAZING mother's birthday! Happy birthday to my lovely mom! :) Love you! :)

And second, it's FAT TUESDAY! Yes, today is MARDI GRAS! Happy Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras everyone!

In honor of Mardi Gras, my post will be about my heritage/multicultural background! Also, thank you Sam (http://frillsandthrills.blogspot.com) for suggesting that I do a post about it! :)

First, it's Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras is HUGE in Louisiana (New Orleans/Nawlins/NOLA)! My grandmother and great grandmother were both from Louisiana! So, my plan is to go "home" to Louisiana during Mardi Gras one year! I would LOVE that!

So, what's Mardi Gras and why is it such a big deal? Well, Mardi Gras is one of really cool and super fun celebration! I hear that celebrating it in New Orleans/Nawlins/NOLA, Louisiana is the best though, which is why I WILL be going to celebrate it there eventually!

Picture of a Mardi Gras cup and Mardi Gras beads

What Mardi Gras is and why it's celebrated!

For its unmatched exuberance, lively spirits, and city-wide participation, the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans can be regarded as the most extravagant of all American festivals. Mardi Gras is possessed by New Orleans through a bond of uniqueness, love, and tradition.

Although Mardi Gras is basically a Catholic holiday, today it is party for everyone here in United States. This is especially true in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana which can be credited for introducing this tradition in the country. Mardi Gras first came to New Orleans through French Culture in the year 1699 when the French explorers celebrated the holiday on the Mississippi River.

In French, "Mardi Gras" literally means "Fat Tuesday," so named because it falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the last day prior to Lent...a 40-day season of prayer and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic Church (and many other Christian denominations) which ends on Easter Sunday. The origin of "Fat Tuesday" is believed to have come from the ancient Pagan custom of parading a fat ox through the town streets. Such Pagan holidays were filled with excessive eating, drinking and general bawdiness prior to a period of fasting.

Mardi Gras is always 47 days prior to this alloted Sunday (the 40 days of Lent plus seven Sundays). The beginning of the Carnival Season itself, however, is also fixed...being January 6, which is the Feast of the Ephiphany. The length of the Carnival Season varies accordingly from year-to-year. The origin of the word "Carvinal" is from the Latin for "farewell to the flesh," a time when one is expected to forego earthly pleasures prior to the restrictions of the Lenten Season, and is thought to be derived from the feasts of the Middle Ages known as carnis levamen or "solace of the flesh."

 Mardi Gras Colors!

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolic of justice), green (symbolic of faith) and gold (symbolic of power). The accepted story behind the original selection of these colors originates from 1872 when the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia visited New Orleans. During his stay, he was given the honor of selecting the official Mardi Gras colors by the Krewe of Rex...thus, did these colors also become the colors of the House of Romanoff. The 1892 Rex Parade theme ("Symbolism of Colors") first gave meaning to the representation of the official Mardi Gras colors. 

Picture of a flag with Mardi Gras colors

Picture of Mardi Gras beads

Mardi Gras Celebrations!

Today, Louisiana's Mardi Gras is celebrated not only in New Orleans, but also in numerous smaller cities and towns around the State and in the neighboring Gulf Coast Region. Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is a legal holiday. However, elaborate carnival festivities draw crowds in other parts of the United States during the Mardi Gras season as well. Each region has its own events and traditions.

Today, Mardi Gras is celebrated with much fanfare in many parts of the US and also all over the world in places like Belgium, Brazil, the Caribbean nations, Colombia, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. In the US, the festival is fervidly observed in Louisiana, Alabama, California, and Florida. The French tradition apart, influences of the Germans, as well as the British are evident in the day's customs across the country.

Mardi Gras Parades!

However, the parade is the main attraction of the New Orleans Mardi Gras and precedes the balls. The entire Bourbon Street is dedicated to the parades and has a world wide fame. Each of the organizations picks a king and a queen for its parade. These parades comprise floats, dancers and bands. Most parades have at least 15 floats. The elaborate procession of floats, decorated to depict different themes, are pulled by tractors.

The Rex parade is the highlight of the day. Saluting his queen who sits in the reviewing stand in front of the Boston Club, Rex is toasted by the mayor. Manned by his glittering, masked knights the Rex parade then slowly winds its way through the narrow streets of the Vieusx Carré. The press of people is tremendous and they spill over the streets making the streets crowded. But it's not a problem because all businesses remain closed on the day. And the festive revelry floods the whole city.

Mardi Gras Goodies!

As the parade with its costumed figures on the floats crawls its way through the crowded streets, viewers along side shout with the traditional Mardi Gras cry: "Throw me something mistuh!" Strings of beads, doubloons, cups and trinkets are thrown into the air. Beads are of plastic and come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. They resemble jewels that royalty would wear. Doubloons are metal coins that are about the size of a silver dollar. They come in different colors and are stamped with the krewes' emblem and their theme for the year. Similar to doubloons, cups bear the krewes emblem and theme for the year. Trinkets might be anything from a candy, to stuffed toys, and knickknacks of every description. They are almost worthless, but a stranger would never know it judging by the enthusiasm with which they are received and fought for.

The floats, the dancers and the marching units with the innumerable bands apart, the city on Mardi Gras is thronged with ordinary citizens who for the day have become quite extraordinary. With costumes of all colors and varieties the children and the grown ups alike become circus clowns or fabulous beasts or live comic-strip characters. Some groups may also cavort according to their whim as harem beauties or Indians or famous Americans.

Mardi Gras Masks!

Picture of two beautiful Mardi Gras masks

Illustration of Theater (Tragedy/Comedy) Mardi Gras masks

Illustration of a lady with Mardi Gras colored masks

Picture of beautiful and colorful Mardi Gras masks

Mardi Gras Coins, Wreaths, and Beads!

Picture of Mardi Gras beads

Picture of a Mardi Gras wreath

Mardi Gras Costumes!

Picture of some Mardi Gras costumes

Picture of a Mardi Gras costume

Pictures of some Mardi Gras costumes/dancers

Delectable Mardi Gras Themed Cakes!

Picture of a beautiful Mardi Gras themed cake!

Picture of a beautiful Mardi Gras themed cake!

Picture of a beautiful Mardi Gras themed cake

Picture of a beautiful Mardi Gras themed cake!

Picture of a beautiful Mardi Gras themed cake

Picture of some beautiful Mardi Gras themed cupcakes!

Picture of some beautiful Mardi Gras themed cupcakes!

Second, I am Creole/Lousiana Creole (which is the mixture of African American, Native American, French, Spanish, and/or West African Ancestry)! So, you can see why I LOVE Louisiana and it's celebrations so much!

 Ashley Forrestier personally feels, "Creole is a culture and a way of life; It is a rich culture with numerous contributions to food, entertainment and Louisiana history."

Third, I am African American/Black and I'm Native American. In particular, I am Cherokee Indian on my mother's side. My father is Native American as well but he never told me which tribe. So, I just claim Cherokee since I know that it's true! :)

Some of my favorite Native American Images!

Picture of a Native American Prayer 

Picture with A Strong Woman poem

Picture with one of my favorite Native American tale's, "The Story of Two Wolves"!

The above image includes a short excerpt of my favorite Native American tale, "The Story of Two Wolves". It's an incredible story that teaches about the good and the bad side within all of us. I use the moral/lesson in my life as well. My dad told me this tale during one of our conversations and it has been one of my favorite moral tales ever since!

This picture of the beautiful Josephine Baker is also my desktop image! :)

 Remember when I said that Josephine Baker is my favorite 1920's icon? Well, she was Creole! She was called the "Creole Goddess"! She was a very well known singer and dancer of her time. She was born in St. Louis, MO in 1906. She eventually moved to France in 1937 and became a citizen. She felt that racism wasn't as big of an issue there. (Sidenote: Many Creoles would go to France to be educated to get away from USA racial inequality).

Sorry that my post is so long. I didn't expect that to happen but I hope that you enjoyed reading it! Happy Mardi Gras Everyone! I hope that you enjoy it! :)

Love always,

LaTasha B.

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