WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH MARDI GRAS?

Happy Mardi Gras y’all!! 

Photo by Natalie Maynor: Mardi Gras in Cajun Country, Tee Mamou, Louisiana

If you’re not from South Louisiana, Mardi Gras might seem like a foreign concept. But here in the South, it's many people’s favorite holiday! It literally translates to ‘Fat Tuesday’ because it is the last day before lent begins- a time where Catholics are expected to fast for 40 days until Easter. It’s a time for celebration, feasting, community, and fun! 

Mardi Gras originated in Medieval Europe and was first known as the “fête de la quemande’ or “the feast of begging”. The wealthy would have elaborate feasts, the ‘Feast of Begging’ was a way for the poor villagers to celebrate too. Dressed in rags and masks designed to mock the wealthy and remain anonymous, the common folk would go door to door to those more fortunate and beg for ingredients to add into the communal meal. They would beg by dancing, singing, performing, or being mischievous. 

When French settlers migrated to Nova Scotia in the early 17th Century, they called the land “Acadia/Acadie” and they themselves were referred to as the Acadians. The British gained control of Nova Scotia in 1713, and in 1755, Charles Lawrence, the British Lieutenant Governor, made the decision to deport the Acadians. Approximately 11,500 Acadian men, women, and children were forcibly expelled from their homes and forced to migrate to rural communities in the 13 colonies; some were even transported to Britain or back to France. About 5,000 of these Acadians died from starvation, shipwrecks, disease, or hyperthermia. Henri Peyroux de la Coudrenière made a plan with French and Spanish officials to resettle the Acadians into Spanish Louisiana. Once in Louisiana, the Acadians persevered, clinging to their culture and language. The term ‘Acadians' slowly melted into “Cajuns” and their new Louisiana home was now “Acadia/Acadiana”. 

Through their hardships and adaptations required for survival, the Cajuns held onto their traditions, including Mardi Gras.The Courier (The Run), ties all the way back to the Feast of Begging. Men, and in recent years even women, dress in costumes made from scraps, wear masks, and hats designed to mock the wealthy, as they walk or ride horses through the countryside begging for ingredients for the community gumbo. In the early morning, the ‘runners’ gather at a common meeting point. Le Capitaine (the captain) is typically the only one unmasked, he usually wears a distinct purple and gold cape and explains the rules and traditions of the run. In some towns, the group shares a song as their review of the rules. Once they arrive at a house along the route, Le Capitaine is the first to stop. He alone asks the land owner’s permission to enter the property. He waves his flag to the others as a signal, and the runners start their begging. 

Just like old times, begging consists of singing their song/chant to the land owner, as well as being ‘canailles’ or mischievous. They say “Cinq-Sous pour le Mardi Gras” (Nickles for the Mardi Gras), and they dig in your pockets, tie your shoes together, and play other pranks to encourage you to donate. They also beg for food like rice, sausage, onions, and other ingredients for a gumbo, but the prized ingredient is a chicken. 

The most eye-catching moment of the Courir is the chicken chase. Although its exact origins are unknown, it’s thought that the chicken chase stemmed from when a farmer agreed to donate his live chicken, but they had to catch it first. It was part of the entertainment and show that the runners were expected to put on. Now, in most small towns, it’s a competition. They line up all of the runners on one side of a large field and release the chicken.Although it may look easy, it’s a lot harder than it seems! The person who catches the chicken gets a lot of bragging rights, and in some areas, they do trophies or acknowledgements.

There are many small towns in the Acadiana region that still keep the tradition. Places like Church Point, Basile, Mamou, Eunice,Tee-Mamou (Iota), Choupic, and Elton are the most popular. The whole community celebrates with fellowship, dancing, and food. Mardi Gras in the Cajun land brings a small town feel to the holiday that can’t be replicated at the Carnivals in New Orleans. With a focus on community, involvement, and tradition, the Courir is proof that Cajun culture is alive and well in south Louisiana.