Before I came to Louisiana I never really knew anything about Mardi Gras. What I could tell you is that it seemed to be a very large celebration with a special emphasis on colored beads that the crowds would give their firstborn up to get. When I came to Louisiana Mardi Gras became more than just a party, but a way of life.
My freshman year in college I experienced Mardi Gras in all its wholesome glory. I grilled out all-day and evening with my fraternity brothers and our friends from Centenary. We staked out a great spot along the float path, and just waited until evening. When the parade went by I began to get pelted with a lot of objects. Now, I was prepared for beads, but cups, swords, and action figures? No, I was not ready for any of that. Before my friends stopped me, I had thrown every object I was hit with, besides the beads of course, back at the floats. I was angry, and confused on why I was getting hit so I felt that it was only right that I dish it back. I soon learned that beads are not everything that is thrown, and that it is a Mardi Gras tradition. I am still wary today about flying objects, but I don’t throw the objects back anymore.
My sophomore year in college was more relaxed than that of my freshman year. It was probably because I was jam packed with studying, damn you midterms, that I didn’t get to much of a chance to go and rack up the beads. However, I did learn more about the tradition. I learned that all across the state there exist many different traditions on how to “correctly” celebrate Mardi Gras, and that there are three distinct forms of celebration: Northern Louisiana Style, New Orleans style, and Southern style. I also learned that each parade is independent of one another and they are named after something called a Krewe. A Krewe can exist for almost any form of organization, and it is a big deal in Louisiana to be a part of a Krewe, and even bigger to have your own float. It was really cool to learn the history of Mardi Gras from friends but it is even cooler to experience it.
My junior year I received a more behind the scenes approach to Mardi Gras. For family members, going to Krewe events it may not be that big of deal because it is an annual tradition for them. However, I had never been to an open house/reveal for a Krewe before so I was excited for the experience. An alumni of my fraternity is a lieutenant for a float and invited some of us out to experience the reveal. At first glance the place looked barren because it was all warehouses, but as you got closer you could hear the music get louder and louder. The doors to the warehouses stood wide open, and revealed the plethora of floats inside of them. They were all a part of the Centaur Krewe, and the designs varied from a Where’s Waldo theme to DC comics. It was awesome to get onto the float, and to meet the people who operate and throw all the beads to the people on the streets.
For my senior year, I do not know what my Mardi Gras experience is going to be like. But, what I can tell you is that in the past few years that I have lived here in Louisiana I have grown to have an appreciation for the late part of February to early March. Mardi Gras is much more than just a string of celebrations it is a way of life. It wakes up the state, and everyone comes out to have a good time. It is a way of communal bonding, and a way to be happy about the simplest things. I love Mardi Gras, and everything that is associated with it. I think wherever I will go in life, I will always carry a little bit of the Mardi Gras lifestyle with me.
