In two cities in America, fun and festivities, which both cities consider to be their claim to fame, are filling the streets.
It’s Carnival time once again for New Orleans, La and Mobile, Al. People fill the streets to watch beautifully adorned floats pass with passengers throwing everything from beads to stuffed animals to moon pies. Mardi Gras is a time of happiness, music, food, and fun. Walking down the main parade routes you will see practically everything you could imagine; People in all sorts of costumes, children running around, people with huge parties and tons of food and so much more. Smells of fried chicken, crawfish, and beer fill the air. Businesses, schools, and roads are closed so everyone can enjoy the fun.
However, there has forever been a debate about which city Mardi Gras originated in, and there are two answers to that question. CNN reporter Chris Mould reported that during the 17th and 18th centuries Carnival made its way through Europe. This is where the oldest symbol of Mardi Gras, the Boeuf Gras, comes from. In fact, this tradition of the Boeuf Gras is what was Mardi Gras originally was. The fatted ox was paraded around, and then killed and eaten as the last meat before Carnival. Since Carnival always comes in the weeks before lent, meat was not to be eaten after this. Upon making its way to France, it was brought to the New World by colonizers.
The Mardi Gras New Orleans website reported that in 1703, the first “American” Mardi Gras was celebrated in what would later become Mobile. The first secret society, or krewe, was founded a year later and called Masque de la Mobile. In 1710, that society became the Boeuf Gras Society and paraded for over one hundred years.
The article went on to explain that around the same time, in 1730 New Orleans was creating a Mardi Gras of its own, but without parading. The governor of Louisiana, Marquis de Vaudreuil, created society balls, which still take place today. One hundred years later, New Orleans filled the streets with “processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders.” Men walked with the riders carrying flambeaux’s to light the street. Not long after, the Mistick krewe of Comus was created in Mobile and quickly made its way to New Orleans. Members of this society were kept secret until the day of the parade. While Comus no longer parades, their ball is still held, and being in the court is one of the largest honors of the Carnival season.
Another prestigious organization, calling their leader the King of Carnival, or Rex, was soon created. This krewe still parades on Mardi Gras day in New Orleans and it, like Comus, considered one of the greatest honors of Carnival. This is also when the colors purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power became associated with the festivities.
Bobby and Pat McIntyre, natives of New Orleans, have had ties to the festivities for all of their lives. “Having been born in 1931, I have seen Carnival grow from, essentially, a four-parade experience into the behemoth we know in 2014. It was Momus on Thursday, Proteus on Monday, Rex on Tuesday, and Comus on Mardi Gras night,” Bobby remembered. He goes on to tell about attending parades with few floats and even fewer throws. As he grew older he was asked to join organizations that his father and grandfather were members of. He worked his way up and even became a Lieutenant in Rex. Though he has not even attended a Mobile Mardi Gras, he believes that it could be just as good as New Orleans’ , but never as big. Pat recalled becoming the queen of Rex, due to the fact that her grandfather was king before her. “My father was a member of the Carnival organization, which is imperative for you to be the queen. My grandfather was king in 1924. This meant that I was a direct line of hierarchy,” she said. She didn’t know for sure, but she didn’t think that Mobile had anything quite as extravagant as Rex or Comus.
So, while some New Orleanians might believe their Mardi Gras festivities to be the first, they owe everything to Mobile. There are many New Orleans natives who do have their facts straight and know that Mardi Gras came from Mobile. I think the more important question for them is which city has a better celebration.
It’s Carnival time once again for New Orleans, La and Mobile, Al. People fill the streets to watch beautifully adorned floats pass with passengers throwing everything from beads to stuffed animals to moon pies. Mardi Gras is a time of happiness, music, food, and fun. Walking down the main parade routes you will see practically everything you could imagine; People in all sorts of costumes, children running around, people with huge parties and tons of food and so much more. Smells of fried chicken, crawfish, and beer fill the air. Businesses, schools, and roads are closed so everyone can enjoy the fun.
However, there has forever been a debate about which city Mardi Gras originated in, and there are two answers to that question. CNN reporter Chris Mould reported that during the 17th and 18th centuries Carnival made its way through Europe. This is where the oldest symbol of Mardi Gras, the Boeuf Gras, comes from. In fact, this tradition of the Boeuf Gras is what was Mardi Gras originally was. The fatted ox was paraded around, and then killed and eaten as the last meat before Carnival. Since Carnival always comes in the weeks before lent, meat was not to be eaten after this. Upon making its way to France, it was brought to the New World by colonizers.
The Mardi Gras New Orleans website reported that in 1703, the first “American” Mardi Gras was celebrated in what would later become Mobile. The first secret society, or krewe, was founded a year later and called Masque de la Mobile. In 1710, that society became the Boeuf Gras Society and paraded for over one hundred years.
The article went on to explain that around the same time, in 1730 New Orleans was creating a Mardi Gras of its own, but without parading. The governor of Louisiana, Marquis de Vaudreuil, created society balls, which still take place today. One hundred years later, New Orleans filled the streets with “processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders.” Men walked with the riders carrying flambeaux’s to light the street. Not long after, the Mistick krewe of Comus was created in Mobile and quickly made its way to New Orleans. Members of this society were kept secret until the day of the parade. While Comus no longer parades, their ball is still held, and being in the court is one of the largest honors of the Carnival season.
Another prestigious organization, calling their leader the King of Carnival, or Rex, was soon created. This krewe still parades on Mardi Gras day in New Orleans and it, like Comus, considered one of the greatest honors of Carnival. This is also when the colors purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power became associated with the festivities.
Bobby and Pat McIntyre, natives of New Orleans, have had ties to the festivities for all of their lives. “Having been born in 1931, I have seen Carnival grow from, essentially, a four-parade experience into the behemoth we know in 2014. It was Momus on Thursday, Proteus on Monday, Rex on Tuesday, and Comus on Mardi Gras night,” Bobby remembered. He goes on to tell about attending parades with few floats and even fewer throws. As he grew older he was asked to join organizations that his father and grandfather were members of. He worked his way up and even became a Lieutenant in Rex. Though he has not even attended a Mobile Mardi Gras, he believes that it could be just as good as New Orleans’ , but never as big. Pat recalled becoming the queen of Rex, due to the fact that her grandfather was king before her. “My father was a member of the Carnival organization, which is imperative for you to be the queen. My grandfather was king in 1924. This meant that I was a direct line of hierarchy,” she said. She didn’t know for sure, but she didn’t think that Mobile had anything quite as extravagant as Rex or Comus.
So, while some New Orleanians might believe their Mardi Gras festivities to be the first, they owe everything to Mobile. There are many New Orleans natives who do have their facts straight and know that Mardi Gras came from Mobile. I think the more important question for them is which city has a better celebration.