Mardi Gras Essays -- Holidays Holiday Mardi Gras New Orleans Essays

Mardi Gras This paper is about Mardi Gras, A festival or funfaircelebrated once a year. In this paper I afford behind discuss howMardi Gras originated, when it is celebrated, how it is celebrated, and what does it mean to all the differentcultures.Mardi Gras, in the French speaking parts of the worldand in some US southern states is the farthest daylight of carnivalfestivities preceding Lent, the time of penitence observedby Christians in preparation for easterly. Mardi Gras (?FatTuesday?) is a French term for Shrove Tuesday, the daybefore the start of Lent. Before Lent festivities reach theclimax on a day in February or March, depending on whatdate Easter is.(Americana pg. 308)French colonists brought Mardi Gras to America inthe early 1700?s. It grew popular in sensitive Orleans,Louisiana, and spread through the southern states. MardiGras is a legal holiday in Alabama and Florida and in eightcounties of Louisiana. The New Orleans celebration is the close famous. But Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile,Alabama also have celebrations. (World Book pg. 197) History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans during the 18thcentury. Many wealthy Louisiana families would leave theirrural plantations to spend the winter months in NewOrleans, where they held lavish parties and wrapped balls.The initiatory written reference to Mardi Gras celebrations inNew Orleans appears in a 1781 report of the Spanishgovernment, which controlled Louisiana. The reportaddressed problems that might hold up from allowing slaves towear masks at the winter festivities. The United States tookcontrol of Louisiana in 1803, and the New Orleans? citycouncil banned all masked entertainment three years later.Enforcement of the law appears to have been erratic. By themid-1820s masks and costumes were again legal. The firstdocumented Mardi Gras parade took place in 1837, and theparade soon became an one-year tradition. However,outbursts of violence at the parades gave the festivities abad name.(?Mardi Gra s? Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99)Shrove Tuesday immediately precedes modifyWednesday and is the last day before Lent. Mardi Gras hasbeen noted for the elaborate mumming parades andboisterous parties that stipulate its celebration in NewOrleans, Trinidad... ... somberface (black makeup tralatitiously used in minstrelshows) and wear grass skirts as they distribute gold-paintedcoconuts to crowds of observers.Another all-important(prenominal) African American Carnivaltradition is the annual appearance of the Mardi GrasIndians, groups of black men who dance through the streetsin costumes inspired by the traditional clothing of NativeAmericans. Each member of a Mardi Gras Indians tribecreates his hold costume, usually incorporating colorfulfeathers and intricate beadwork. Most scholars believe thatthe Mardi Gras Indians tradition began in the late 19thcentury. In the past, rivalries between tribes sometimes ledto ruddy confrontations. Today, such conflicts have givenway to a co mpetition among the Mardi Gras Indian tribesfor the most elaborate costume.(?Mardi Gras? Microsoft EncartaEncyclopedia 99)Mardi Gras continues to attract tourists to NewOrleans from nearly the world. Today Mardi Gras drawsmore than 3 million people to parades and generatesapproximately $1 billion for the local economy. (?Mardi Gras?Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99)