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Traditionally known as Courir de Mardi Gras, festivities occur in towns throughout central Louisiana’s Cajun Country. Rooted in French medieval history the Courir de Mardi Gras has many rituals that come together in a celebration on Fat Tuesday. It's commonly referred to as "the real Mardi Gras."
The main event in a Cajun Country Mardi Gras is the traditional courir or “run.” Costumed and masked participants on horseback, on foot or in trailers make their way through the neighborhood performing another ancient ritual: begging. Yes, begging! going from house to house singing and dancing for the owners in order to get different ingredients for a communal gumbo to be served later that evening. The last ingredient, and the highlight of the entire celebration, is the chicken. The celebrations are stories, told over and over again every year to make new again and celebrate new beginnings through colorful costumes, and traditional Mardi Gras songs and authentic Cajun cooking.
Giving a Ranger talk last night at the campground on Black History Month, I interwove the timelines of the Black skinned slaves that landed in the South and the allies they found in the Native Americans and became the Mardis Gras Indians, my heritage. Then from there once freed, their only choice given was to join the cavalries to head west to secure land for settlers for mining, railroad and manifest destiny. They arrived in the Chiricahuas where I am now to massacre and enslave the Apache (Nde) people. Irony. I talked of the woven fabric of the irony of one slave, taken of others, and landing on Mardis Gras how the strength, perseverance of the Buffalo Soldiers legacy left behind. It is a long history, too long for this note to you today, but in honor of all I came back to my roots to share with you today.
Arriving via Fedex, a King Cake baked just yesterday, fresh and yummy, none of my Ranger co-workers knew about Mardis Gras or king cakes or the plastic baby hidden within. Cutting a piece for a visitor, I found the baby, which means I am Queen for the Day and I have to throw the next party. It also means a new beginning for me, read below to find out what is coming next!
As we awake on Tuesday February 21, it will be the Fat Tuesday, the last celebration before 40 days of deprivation. In honor of the Catholic beliefs, the long rituals of Saturnalia, the beginning of the new, the honoring of the long winter and the diminishing of fat and sugary foods until the new growth of plants come in spring, we ritualize these cycles of nature into grand stories. Besides chasing chickens, catching greased pigs, riding in silly costumes on horses, singing with your friends and visiting your neighbors down the road, is really what it is all about, sharing, caring and celebrating life. Happy Mardis Gras everyone.
Laissez les bon to rouler
(pronounced lay-say le bon tom roo-lay)
Let the Good Times Roll!
Love Candace
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