The History of Mardi Gras

It's origins date back 5000 years to ancient Greece. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday while Carnival is Latin from two words, caro levare, whose combined meaning is removal of flesh.

Carnival is a Christian festival that started from the Greek-Roman celebration of spring fertility rites and to honor the god of wine, Bacchus. As with many pagan rituals the Catholic Church integrated Carnival and Mardi Gras as a way to convert pagans to Christianity.

Carnival is the period of time that begins from Twelfth Night (12 days after Christmas, January 6) or better known as Epiphany the day the Three Kings, known as Magi, arrived to honor the baby Jesus. It runs until Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which starts the season of Lent. Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is always 46 days from Easter.

Carnival is a time to celebrate, merrymake, and indulge in food and drink, this revelry lasts for a week. Attendees, in addition to wearing Bacchus costumes, wear masks, attend balls, dance in the street and ride floats. Famous host cities are New Orleans, La; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nice, France; and Cologne, Germany.

The first documented American Mardi Gras occurred on March 3, 1699 in what is now Mobile, AL. The arrival of French settlers brought the celebration to New World. Due to geographic location the settlers eventually migrated the then 60 miles, to what is now New Orleans. It wasn't until 1856 that official parade organizations started.

These organizations known as krewes were meant to keep Mardi Gras safe and fun for all. The first krewes established were Mystick Krewe of Comus and The Krewe of Rex followed in 1872. Since their beginnings many other krewes have been formed and parades number in the many.

The official colors of Carnival are purple, green, and gold. These colors represent justice, power, and faith and can be seen everywhere. Costumes, beads, floats and on pastries such as the traditional King Cake.

The tradition of using throws as they are called began in 1870 by the Twelfth Night Revelers, another krewe. Throws can be beads, cups, stuffed animals and doubloons. The doubloons that are caught are considered collector's items and caution should be used when trying to retrieve them from the ground, fingers are fragile. Doubloons are usually only thrown from the kings float which makes the frenzy for them even more interesting.

A notable event of Mardi Gras, that is not a tradition at all, is boobs for beads. This act is believed to be attributed to inebriated spring breakers visiting the famous French Quarters, where post paraders go, is actually shunned by native New Orleanians and true Mardi Gras supporters.

In fact, parades and parties do not happen in the French Quarter at all. In the 1970's it was banned as a way to preserve the French Quarter and minimize the mayhem and drunken crowds. 117 years of parading and revelry ended for the French Quarter.

This year, 48 different parades are scheduled to take place in three different locations in the city of New Orleans. Festivities are scheduled for February 5, 2008, Fat Tuesday.