Un-masked
Mardi Gras popular for more than flashing, drinking
and letting loose
By KIRSTEN TATE
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
When strings of gold, purple and green beads are thrown
from floats and balconies amid wild and surging crowds
in the streets of New Orleans each year, Mardi Gras is
near.
Mardi Gras, aka Shrove Tuesday, is a Catholic holiday
that has grown to be celebrated by people of various faiths
across the world. This year the holiday falls on March
4.
Drunkenness and women flashing for beads has become one
of the most well-known aspects of the holiday, especially
for people who have never been to New Orleans.
Tenecia Hunt, a freshman undeclared major from Enterprise,
said flashing and beads are the first two things that
come to her mind when she thinks about Mardi Gras. She
said she probably won’t ever go to the celebration
because she doesn’t agree with some of the things
that happen there. She isn’t alone.
Staci Bailey, a junior history major from Bountiful, said
she thinks it’s a little too crazy for her taste.
But she added that if given the opportunity, she would
probably go to Mardi Gras just to experience it. The celebration
isn’t just about getting drunk and seeing naked
women, said Arthur Hardy, author and a fifth generation
New Orleans native.
In his book Mardi Gras Guide,
Hardy said the French Quarter of the city, more specifically
Bourbon Street, is where the tradition of flashing for
beads and drunken behavior is most severe.
He said the best part of Mardi Gras is throughout the
city.
It is claimed to be a family
event with bands, toys and parades.
Kristin Lewis, a junior communication major from Rock
Springs, Wyo., traveled to New Orleans with SUU’s
debate team for a tournament Feb. 20-23.
She said she enjoyed the parades because it reminded her
of when she was a child and had candy thrown to her from
the floats.
“When I was a kid they threw candy; now they throw
beads,” she said. “It was exciting.”
She said she would definitely want to go back because
they didn’t get to see as much as she wanted.
Mardi Gras season begins Jan. 6 and runs until Shrove
Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning
of Catholic Lent).
Parties and parades run throughout the whole season, but
the city gets more crowded the closer Mardi Gras gets.
Lewis said when she was there, it was still more than
a week before the actual date, so “it wasn’t
out of control” yet.
Modern Mardi Gras began in the South early in the 1700s
with masked balls, loud music and parties. It was stopped
when the Spanish gained control of the land, according
to www.mardigrasneworleans.com.
The parties resumed in the 1800s when the United States
gained control.
Krewes, the famous masking and parading clubs, began as
private social clubs that threw parades and parties as
an attempt to control the wildness of the celebration.
Today, the krewe members fund all activities, causing
Mardi Gras to be called “The Greatest Free Show
on Earth.”
Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold began with
the Krewe of Rex in 1872. Purple stands for justice, green
for faith and gold for power, the site reported.
Elizabeth Wittwer, a junior communication major from Hattiesburg,
Miss., said her favorite part of Mardi Gras was the parades
because everywhere else women were flashing.
|
|
 |
Music majors Jehiah Bray, a junior from Taylorsville,
Jen Andrus, a junior from West Jordan and Tony Wall,
a sophomore criminal justice major from Salt Lake
City, adorn masks with decorations during SUU’s
Mardi Gras celebration.
KEN HANSEN / UNIVERSITY JOURNAL
|
When she went to New Orleans in 2001, she said she and
her friend stayed mostly in the French Quarter where that
behavior is most prevalent.
She said it was fun because everyone was so excited and
got into the spirit of the celebration.
Beads aren’t the only thing thrown from floats. The
trinkets depend on which krewe sponsored the parade.
She said one of her favorite parades had an African theme.
Coconuts and necklaces with an African design were some
of the treasures thrown from the floats.
Stan Gwin, professor of communication, said krewes work
on the parades and floats year round. He said the coconuts
are decorated and it is rare to receive one.
Gwin was raised approximately 50 miles from New Orleans
and visited Mardi Gras every year as a child.
He said his family would pitch a tent on St. Charles Avenue
and watch the parades travel down to Canal Street, turn
around, and come back up the other side of the street.
Another tradition of Mardi Gras is the King Cake. Wittwer
said it is a large, round cake decorated with purple and
gold. A small baby doll is usually baked inside to represent
the Christ child because of the holiday’s religious
history. Whoever receives the piece with the baby is host
to the next King Cake party.
“I like King Cake,” Wittwer said. “Especially
if it has a cream cheese or fruit filling.”
Balls and parties were some of the first traditions of Mardi
Gras.
Gwin said each krewe is host for a ball, with a king and
queen elected to represent the krewe at various parties
during the season.
“When I was a junior in college, I dated a girl elected
as Queen of the Krewe of Zeus,” he said. “We
went to a lot of balls.”
Wittwer said she thought the most amazing thing was how
fast the party ended when the clock struck midnight.
“The whole week before is a party, and it is huge
on Tuesday, but at midnight everything closes down because
it is the first day of Lent,” she said. |
