mardi gras
TRANSCRIPT
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Timing
Official start of Mardi Gras season is January 6th
Finishes at midnight on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras Day)
Sporadic parades begin January 6th and become very concentrated about two weeks before Mardi Gras day
A brief history
The date of the first celebration is unclear, but probably in the early 1700s, with music, dancing, masking, and costuming.
1833: The first official celebration was held
1856: founding of the Mystick Krewe of Comus
1875: Mardi Gras recognized as an official state holiday.
1991: Krewes forced to integrate
Krewes
Old Line Krewes: Comus, Momus, Proteus.
Super Krewes: Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus.
Popular Krewes: Muses, d’Etat, Hermes, Thoth, Knights of Chaos
Rex: King of Carnival
Zulu
Parades
Every parade has a theme
Many krewes make use of satire
Parades consists of floats, marching bands, Flambeaux carriers, specialty vehicles, dance teams
Parades
Parades
Throws: beads, cups, doubloons, stuffed animals,
Costumes and masks (link)
Specialty Throws
Most parades culminate with a ball
Celebrity monarchs
Parades
Mardi Gras Day
Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club
Predominantly African American krewe
Signature throw: Coconut
Disrupts the traditional Rex parade that follows
Mardi Gras Day
Rex: King of Carnival
Parade follows Zulu with traditional throws
Mostly composed of older, white residents of New Orleans
Receives key to city
End of Mardi Gras
The meeting of the courts of Rex and Comus
The official closing of Bourbon St at midnight
True/False Comprehension
Mardi Gras in New Orleans begins on New Year’s Day
There is only one parade route in New Orleans
Food is commonly thrown from parades during Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras Krewes were forced to integrate in 1991
The signature “throw” of Zulu is a decorated coconut
Parade riders aren´t allowed to wear masks
The king of Carnival is announced on January 6th