A little history
Until 1823, masked balls were illegal in the country, and it was the Creoles who brought them back into fashion. Most ended with a parade down the street. In 1839, the first float parade took place.
The first official organization was created by a group of Anglo-American businessmen in 1857. The famous Mistick Krewe of Comus marched the same year. Other organizations followed. Rex, one of the best-known, founded in 1872, introduced other traditions: the king cake and the three colors: purple for justice, gold for power and green for faith.
The first black parade, Zulu, had its origins in 1909, but it would be some years before the African theme of the costumes and the name of the krewe were adopted. Today, Rex and Zulu are the two main Mardi Gras parades. They are also the most eagerly awaited.
In 1968, the Krewe of Bacchus was founded by wealthy industrialists from other states. Little accepted by other organizations, they formed their own club and changed the traditional Mardi Gras parade into a more spectacular one. Hollywood actors took part, and TV stars were elected parade kings. These parades were considered by the older krewes to be rivals and too demonstrative of their members' wealth. The Bacchus, Endymion and Orpheus parades are still known today for having the biggest floats, the longest parades and the most beautiful throws.
In 1991, someone pointed out that the city's black majority was not represented during Mardi Gras. The members of most krewes were selected according to population and social class. A black woman, advisor to the mayor at the time, demanded that carnival organizations marching in the downtown area should not discriminate.
The concept
The Mardi Gras season begins on Epiphany and ends on Mardi Gras Day, just before Lent. It's a major event for Louisiana, and a major source of revenue. Carnival associations(krewes) finance the festival. A law forbids the commercialization of carnival, so there are no sponsors: membership fees pay for the floats and costumes. Each association chooses a different theme, and all compete with each other for the beauty of their floats and costumes.
Parades. The parade program is generally the same every year. Every day (over the course of a month, the main ones taking place on Mardi Gras day itself), the local newspaper publishes the various parade itineraries and presents its kings, queens, dolphins or grand marshalls.
Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide (mardigrasguide.com) is available in all local shops. It features articles on the history of Mardi Gras and details of parade routes. Parades in the French Quarter are prohibited due to the fragility of the buildings. Only the Krewe du Vieux is allowed to parade there (one or two weeks before Mardi Gras).
Lundi Gras. The Monday before Mardi Gras is celebrated on the banks of the Mississippi with the arrival by boat of the Zulu and Rex kings. In the afternoon and evening, a big party is organized. Orpheus begins. The parade is brightly lit and features the largest float, the Leviathan, which can be seen all year round at Mardi Gras World.
Mardi Gras. It starts very early in the morning in the central part of St. Charles Avenue. But the day really begins when King Rex throws a toast from his float outside the warehouse and Zulu arrives on Jackson Avenue around 8am (Zulu rarely arrives on time).
At one time or another, all revelers end up in the French Quarter. Bourbon Street is the busiest street. Some parts of the street are downright impossible to cross without jostling everyone.
Another group in the Bywater neighborhood is the Société de Sainte Anne. Anyone in costume is welcome to join the parade. Around 9 a.m., the group meets at Royal Street and Louisa. At each stop there's a bar where you can enjoy a drink. Costumed people join the parade and head for the French Quarter to continue the party. The gay community is often the most represented in this parade.
Following on from Zulu is the Krewe of Rex. It usually departs at 10 a.m. from the intersection of Napoleon Avenue and South Claiborne Avenue for St. Charles Avenue. In its wake come the Elks Orleans and Crescent City Krewes.
Mardi Gras Indians
These are African-Americans marching in regalia and singing songs inspired by Native American ceremonies. There are some 50 such groups (known as tribes). This tradition pays tribute to the strong ties that once united Louisiana's African-Americans with the native Americans.
It's hard to say where this organization originated. It seems that in the 1880s, blacks marched as Native Americans when Chief Becate organized the Creole Wild West parade. During the Mardi Gras season, Mardi Gras Indians march by a route known only to the chief and his members who lead the parade. They are often accompanied by a second line (brass band) that plays and sings in response to the chief's chants. Their costumes are very imposing, covered in feathers, pearls and sequins. Each member makes his or her own costume. Some are considered works of art. One of the ideal spots to watch the parade is under the I-10 bridge on Claiborne Avenue in Treme. The best time to see them is when the tribe gathers on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph's Day (March 19) in Central City, known as Super Sunday, and a few weeks later near Bayou St. John. To learn more about the Mardi Gras Indians, a visit to the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture is a must.
