Mardi Gras

• Author: admin
• Filed under: Social Life, What is ?
• Date: Feb 4,2008

Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) is the day before Ash Wednesday, and is also called “Shrove Tuesday” or “Pancake Day”. Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, though the term is often used incorrectly to describe the days and weeks preceding Fat Tuesday. Carnival begins 12 days after Christmas, or Twelfth Night, on January 6 and ends on Mardi Gras, which always falls exactly 47 days before Easter. Perhaps the cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include New Orleans, Louisiana; Venice, Italy; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Many other places have important Mardi Gras celebrations as well. Carnival is an important celebration in most of Europe, except in the United Kingdom where pancakes are the tradition, and also in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Carnival is celebrated in several Argentine cities in the subtropical northeast. Carnival in Buenos Aires is notable for the dancing murga troupes.

In the Belgian city of Binche the “Mardi Gras” is the most important day of the year and the summit of the Carnival of Binche. Around 1000 Gilles are dancing through the city from 4.00 AM to late hours on traditional carnival songs. In 2003, the Carnival of Binche was proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations. Mardi Gras arrived in North America as a sedate French Catholic tradition with the Le Moyne brothers,^[4] Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, in the late 17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France’s claim on the territory of Louisianne, which included what are now the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Venice is home to one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world, in addition to one of the oldest. The Carnival of Venice (or Carnevale di Venezia in Italian) was first recorded in 1268. The subversive nature of the festival is reflected in the many laws created over the centuries in Italy attempting to restrict celebrations and often banning the wearing of masks.

In Spain it’s called Carnaval. The Carnival in Chipiona Carnaval in Chipiona is without doubt the festival that represents our town the most. It’s celebrated in the month of February and coincides with the date of the festival held in the capital of the province, Cádiz. Even though it’s official duration is just 10 days, for at least a month before there are activities being held in the peñas and by various organizations.

MARDI GRAS TRADITIONS

Carnival balls: Carnival balls are formal parties given by a krewe for its members and their guests.
Mardi Gras drag: An object lesson in delirious diversity, fetishist fantasy garb and outrageous comic couture.
Parading with ladders: The ladder rule of thumb is, you place the ladder at least as many feet back from the curb as it is tall. No one pays attention to this rule, but it’s a good one.
Mardi Gras Indians: Its exact history is difficult to determine, but most agree the ritual song, dance and costuming began as way for African slaves brought to America to celebrate their heritage.