|
Mardi
Gras
|
Credits |
Cultural Center |
Mardi
Gras –
|
arnival" is a word of Latin origin and its celebration dates from ancient times. The observance of the Lenten period, however, is a custom developed by Christians in Rome during the second century. This period of penitence was usually preceded by a period of pleasure, in preparation for the abstinence that should be observed during Lent. Although Catholics adapted the carnival to Christianity, its roots have remained attached to its pagan principle of abandoning all transcendental concerns for the sake of pure amusement and diversion. In New Orleans, the carnival is known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Carnival begins on the twelfth night after Christmas and continues until Shrove Tuesday, when the Mardi Gras parade and ball signal the culmination before Ash Wednesday. Iberville and Bienville had already introduced the notion of Mardi Gras in Louisiana when, in 1699, they christened the first bayou they found with the name. After the Louisiana Purchase, laws were promulgated prohibiting balls and masquerades, a measure that did not sit well with the residents who, instead of being discouraged, developed private clubs where they continued enjoying those traditions. Mardi Gras originated as a public celebration in 1827, when a group of students decided to imitate in the streets what they had experienced in Paris. In 1833 Bernard Xavier de Marigny, a rich plantation owner, solicited a large amount to help finance an organized Mardi Gras celebration. Like in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), or Barranquilla (Colombia), and in more recent years Junkanoo (in The Bahamas), the celebration of carnival in New Orleans has become an important event in the life of the city. Beyond pure entertainment, it has sociocultural and economic implications. Costumes and masks are important elements in the celebration of Mardi Gras, and their use dates from pre-Christian Rome, when they were used to disguise the personal appearance of individuals to allow them to take liberties not permitted in normal life. It is not unusual to see entire families and neighborhoods working together in secret, preparing the costumes.
|
