Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Mardi Gras Dinner & Dialogue
Tonight was the Mardi Gras Dinner and Dialogue. We had an excellent speaker and delicious food (props to Ben for the vegetarian fare).I probably should have guessed, but there is a lot more to Mardi Gras than just getting drunk and catching beads. There is a whole tradition both around New Orleans, and rural Cajun areas.Basically the whole point of Mardi Gras is to have a big communal gathering, celebrating the unique neighborhoods and traditions. Kate Parker talked about the differences between the real Mardi Gras and the tourist version of Mardi Gras.There is a long history of racial and neighborhood tension between different Krewes that organize the parades. I love how the different Indian "tribes" battle about who's the prettiest and craft such intricate costumes. I can't wait until I'm old enough to experience the true Mardi Gras!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Definitely will second on the delicious food. What better way to learn about a culture or custom than to taste?
ReplyDeleteIt was also really interesting to learn about the background of Mardi Gras. I didn't know much about the event except that it was a huge celebration before I went. So hearing about the racial issues and intricate details of the traditions was very interesting to learn about.
The most interesting part of the evening was, in my opinion, the different groups that make up the Mardi Gras scene. The traditional group was particularly something notable, because they are a group of people that we don't often associate with the mainstream Mardi Gras. And then the tourist Mardi Gras. But, interestingly, there is the African-American traditions and the float groups that create entire parades! Overall, the evening was very informative.
ReplyDelete