" Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez "
........ Let the good times roll!

 Saint Valentine's Day is not the only February holiday in Louisiana....

"Throw me Sumthin Mistah!"
This cry can be heard ringing in the streets throughout Louisiana during the many Mardi Gras parades held throughout the state.
Mostly from children, but also from the many of us who are known as "children at heart."  We have screamed ourselves silly for these trinkets for years.  Beads,doubloons, cups, and this year stuffed animals.  But the beads and the doubloons have been the most popular treasures for as long as I can remember.
  And I am proud to say that I have many!  If there is anyone who may have been visiting relatives on another planet and don't know what or where "Mardi Gras" is, I have tried to put together a "bit-o-info" that you may enjoy.
Keeping in mind, Mardi Gras is not just an event, it is a state of mind!
Hey, there is absolutely nothing not to enjoy about Mardi Gras.  "Laissez les bons temps roulez" : Let the good times roll!
Now everybody stand, dance to the Zydeco music, and yell "AY-YEE"
"Don't Mess With My Toot-Toot!"
 
Mardi Gras dates back to 1837 when the first street
parade took place. The carnival season begins
January 6th (12 days after Christmas) on the
Twelfth Night with the first of nearly 100 private
masked balls. The dazzling Mardi Gras parades
feature marching bands and elaborate papier
mache floats with maskers tossing trinkets, beads
and doubloons to the crowd. On Mardi Gras Day,
the day before Ash Wednesday, the largest and
longest parades are held. Rex, King of Carnival, is
a prominent businessman, chosen by secret
committee. His Queen is always a debutante of
the current season. On Mardi Gras day, everyone
joins in the costuming, young and old alike,
resident and tourist.
It is Louisiana's premiere party season! It's time to
               enjoy life, party, and have a good time! It's
               irresistibly fun, vibrant, sarcastic, and sassy! If
               you understand how this city hums during the day
               and sings at night, you may be able to envision its
               celebration of Mardi Gras. Perhaps it's the
               anticipation of the merriment, the excitement of
               catching throws, the extravaganza of the parades,
               getting dressed up in costume, or going to a Ball --
               but a frame of mind takes over the Big Easy and
               says "forget your problems and have fun!"
               New Orleans, Louisiana's largest city and the
               birthplace of Louisiana Mardi Gras, undoubtedly
               boasts the largest celebration. A huge street party
               begins in the French Quarter weeks before "Fat
               Tuesday" and culminates in the magnificent
               parades with larger-than-life floats that often make
               the major network news broadcasts. For sheer
               excitement, this experience is beyond compare.
 
If you want a smaller more family-style
               celebration, your options are equally
               wonderful. All the major cities in Louisiana,
               Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lake Charles,
               Lafayette, Houma and Baton Rouge, plus many
               of the smaller towns hold their own Mardi Gras
               festivals. Here, you will find parades on a smaller
               scale but not nearly so packed. And your kids will
               have the great opportunity to catch the beads and
               doubloons that make this holiday so much fun.
               Many of these celebrations are also accompanied
               by fairs with rides, food and music.  The Krewe of
               Gemini and Centaur Parades begin 2 blocks from my
                home in Shreveport.
 
When you're ready for the big experience, you'll
               need to know when it will be! You'll find the big
               day can fall on any Tuesday between February 3
               and March 9. Carnival celebration starts on
               January 6, the Twelfth Night (feast of Epiphany);
               and picks up speed until Midnight on Mardi Gras,
               the day before Ash Wednesday. How will you
               know which Tuesday it will be? Mardi Gras is
               always 40 days plus 6 Sundays before Lent.
               Easter can fall on any Sunday from March 23 to
               April 25 with the exact date to coincide with the
               first Sunday after the full moon following a Spring
               Equinox!  So that's a little history lesson on Mardi
               Gras.  Now we have to get you ready to "talk the talk."

I'm sure by now you are all dancing to the Zydeco
music and yelling " Ay-yee!! "
"Laissez les bons temps rouler !!"
Now that we can walk the walk..let's talk the talk..
FAIS-DO-DO: Literally means " go to sleep." This
phrase was whispered by French-speaking Cajun
mothers to their children. Once the Children had
fallen asleep and were placed out of harm's way,
the parents could join in the dances.
JOIE DE VIVRE: The joy of living.
LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER:
Let the good times roll!
C'EST LA VIE: That's life.
ENVIE: Your heart's desire or a very strong craving
CANAILLE: Mischievous.
LAGNIAPPE: A little something extra.
LACHE PAS LA PATATE:
Don't let go of potato/don't give up
              Thanks to Roma from Ville Platte for help with the terminology and Kate
                and Bob, students at USL in Lafayette for their "Mardi Gras terms" help.
TERMS OF MARDI GRAS

 BOEUF (French word) - this is a large bull or ox, which represents the ancient
 symbol of the last meal before the Lenten season of fasting.  I was born on
Boeuf River.

 CAPTAIN - this is the leader of each Carnival organization

 CARNIVAL (from Latin carnivale) - translated to be farewell to the flesh (the feast of
 Epiphany) to midnight on Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent)

COURT - this is the Mardi Gras King, Queen, maids and dukes of a Carnival
 organization
DEN - this is the location where the floats are built and stored
DOUBLOONS - aluminum objects resembling coins, which bear the insignia of the
 krewe on one side and the theme on the other; Rex krewe introduced the first one in 1960.  I think I have 1 from each year!!!
FAVOR - these are souvenirs, given to friends or guests attending the krewe's ball
 by the members
FLAMBEAUX (plural) - Naphtha-fueled torches,  were once the only source
 light along the parade routes; now, they are carried along as part of the parade
KING CAKE - this is an oval pastry with a small plastic doll inside; the individual
 who finds the doll buys the next king cake
KREWE - this is a term with Old English flavor, first used by the Krewe of Comus in 1857 to name a Carnival Organization
LUNDI GRAS (French for Fat Monday) - this is the day before Fat Tuesday;
  celebrated with Rex and Zulu.
MARDI GRAS - this is the day before the beginning of Lent called Fat Tuesday
MARDI GRAS INDIANS - these are groups of black men in New Orleans
 representing  American Indians; they are outfitted with wonderful handmade
 outfits, full of color.
PRALINES - Purely sweet handmade creole candy, found only in New Orleans -- a
 unique taste to the world.
THROWS - the items thrown from floats by the krewe members; these can be
 beads, plastic cups, doubloons, and toys.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  GET THOSE BAGS PACKED, OR JUST
COME AS YOU ARE!  LET'S GO TO LES CARNIVALE!!!

 

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