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Glossary  |
InvitationStrictly personal, has a high value. Allows you to
go to the bal masqué of the krewe who invited you. Some time ago, they were
printed in Paris ! Never refer to it as a "ticket". |
Mardi GrasLast
day of the carnival, before the Lent season (fasting period).
Bal MasquéMasked bal, reserved
to the members of the club ("krewe") and to their guests. La "Royalty"
(the King, the Queen, the pageants and the Dukes) of the club for the coming year
are introduced at this occasion. Scenes are played on the chosen theme. | 
Photo : Sydney Byrd |
CarnavalFrom
the Latin "Carnivale" : "Farewell to the flesh". Period
beginning on January 6th, Twelfth Night and Epiphany celebration, and ending on
midnight, Mardi Gras, right before the Lent.
 |
King CakeThe equivalent of the "Galette des Rois" in Europe. But
here, the one who finds the "bean" (a plastic figurine) must throw the
next party or at least offer the next king cake ! And actually this pastry
is served until Mardi Gras, not just one day like in Europe. |
KreweGeneric term to designate all the organizations
(clubs) of Carnival in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras IndiansGroup of black
men who represent the Amerindians. Their costumes are magnificent, highly
colored with a lot of pearls and feathers. The most famous tribes are the
Tchoupitoulas, the Pocahontas and the Magnolias. | 
Photo : Jim Scheurich |
Photo : Arthur Hardy |
Boeuf GrasFormerly the symbol of the last flesh eaten before the fasting
season of the Lent. The krewe of Rex used to present a live one in its parade,
but now it's a fake one. Still one of the symbol of Mardi Gras. |
CaptainAbsolute chief of each krewe. | 
Photo : Linwood J. Albarado Jr. |
 |
DoubloonsAluminum coins presenting the krewe symbols on its face and
the theme of the year on its back. They were introduced for the first time
in 1960 by Rex, "King of Carnival". Every year there are different
versions of them, in various colors and even metals, which are collected and can
be of quite a value ! See "throws". |
FlambeauxTraditionally
held by black men in white robes, formerly they were the only source of light
for the night parades. Torch carriers march between the floats, dance sometimes
and of course benefit from the "throws" the public couldn't catch. | 
Photo : Christopher Veo |
Photo : Sydney Byrd |
ThrowsCheap trinkets thrown to the public by the members of the krewes,
who are masked, from the floats of the parade. The public thereby can catch
doubloons (see above), decorated plastic cups, different gadgets and plastic beads.
These beads are more or less long ; usually, the longer it is (it can go as low
as your feet !), the more you have shown. Shown what ? Come on, don't
be innocent ;) Some of these gadgets are collected and can be worth a fortune. Advice
: come to the parades with a big, huge bag ! |
NB : the photos and some of the information above were taken
from a yearly Mardi Gras publication but I can't remember the references for the
Copyright. If you can help... Anyway this publication is protected
!
My first Mardi GrasWilly et Bella, my
dear friends, wanted to take advantage of the Carnival's days off to go to Mexico.
So they rushed, before taking the plane, to the first parades in New Orleans,
which begin several weeks before Mardi Gras. Generally speaking, these are
much less interesting but fun anyway. Back home, they told
me : "You should have seen us, you wouldn't have recognized us ! We
were like crazy, we would have done anything for a plastic bead !" | 
Beginning
of one of the most famous parades : Zulu.
(Here, Zulu's King float in 1994) |
The
King of Rex, "King of Carnival" | I
laughed so much... And I probably had a sarcastic smile on my face, kind
of "Dear Willy", seeing him with a full bag of plastic trinkets... They
had their revenge later, seeing me with several bags full of the same trinkets
! Seems stupid, right ? However I did
see dozens of men and women undressing in the middle of the crowd to get a cheap
bead ! I didn't go that far, but at some point I lost my voice after calling
and calling the krewe members, so far away in their floats... |
My top success ?Shout, no, yell "Je suis Belge" to the "riders"
of the wagon drawn by the "Belgian Horses" !
I got a down-to-the-ankles
bead, not showing anything ;) You didn't understand ? That's normal. You
would have to (1) read the second page, and (2) go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Page créée le 25 février 2001 - Mise à jour le
25 février 2001
©opyright 1997-2007
Pierre Gieling - tous droits réservés
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