Mardi Gras Research Paper

Mardi Gras

Ian Jones

ECPI University

When I was in the Marines, I attended Mardi Gras with a buddy whose home town was New Orleans. It was almost 15 years ago, and I was barely considered an adult, but it’s an experience I’ll never forget. Historians dates Mardi Gras back thousands of years to pagan festivities of fertility. When Christianity was adopted by the Romans, the religious leaders decided to use these popular traditions into the new faith. As a direct result, the Mardi Gras became a prelude to Lent, which is the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” which on that night, people would eat richer, fatty foods before the ritual of fasting of Lent which

It was then, they held a small celebration, where they named the location Point du Mardi Gras. Decades later, New Orleans and other French settlements began marking the holiday with street parties, masked ball events and lavish, rich dinners. However, after the Spanish took over the Louisiana territory, they abolished the rituals, and they were banned until Louisiana became a U.S. state in 1812. On Mardi Gras in 1827, students wore colorful costumes and danced through the streets of New Orleans, mimicking the festivities they experienced while in Paris. A decade later, the first ever Mardi Gras parade took place in New Orleans, which is a long-lasting tradition to this

While, I was considered an adult, I did not partake in many of the festivities. One of the biggest things I noticed was that it was richer in history and traditions, than I originally thought. I often saw on television and music videos, people throwing articles of clothing for beads. I initially believed that this was one of the highlight attractions of the event, and while it definitely occurred, I didn’t see too much of that. I did, however, see that the Mardi Gras parade was more tailored to the foods and surprisingly, the kids. I believed, with all the alcohol and people, and bead throwing, that the celebration was more for the adults. However, I quickly learned that the holiday was more for family coming together and celebrating and having a good time before Lent. It was more of a celebration of life, and fellowship, the compared to mischievous, drunken parties, which most videos and movies have