For the people of Mid-City, Endymion is a
community event of unparalleled proportions. Every year, the neutral grounds—or
medians—are lined with locals who will camp out overnight to secure their
favorite viewing spot along the parade route. Visitors are of course welcome,
and they arrive in droves to view this Super Krewe and to catch their fair
share of Mardi Gras beads and other coveted Endymion throws. However, this
parade will never have the same meaning for tourists as it does for locals, who
consider this parade an important part of the spirit of the immediate
community.
In 2013, Endymion is scheduled to roll as usual on the Saturday before Mardi
Gras, which places Endymion 2013 on Saturday, February 9th. This date is
important to locals because the flashy Endymion is the sole parade that still
follows the traditional Mid-City parade route, which primarily consists of a
trek beginning at City Park. It then parties its way down Carrollton to the
main Mid-City thoroughfare of Canal Street. It then dances its way on to St.
Charles, around Lee Circle, through parts of the Warehouse District, and then
ends at the Endymion Extravaganza event at the Superdome. Some contend that
this event, which is by invitation only, displays the flash and glamour of
Mardi Gras in New Orleans at its absolute apex.
Another parade that bears the name of this beloved neighborhood is the Krewe of
Mid-City, which used to parade down the traditional Mid-City route shared by
Endymion. In recent years, however, the Mid-City parade has switched to an
Uptown route, despite retaining the moniker of the neighborhood for which it
was originally named.
As usual, the people of Mid-City can be expected to live it up during their
favorite Mardi Gras event of the year. The parade is scheduled to leave the
City Park staging area at approximately 4:15 pm. Make sure to claim your
viewing spot early, as the crowds are often thick for this showstopper of the
Mardi Gras season.
One of the most stirring aspects of Mardi Gras
in New Orleans is the abundance of lights. Colorful lighted floats with their carnival throws illuminate
the city streets at night, and carnival can sometimes seem like a bright beacon
in the darkness of winter.
The first electric parade was the Krewe of Electra, in 1989. This krewe
experimented with what was then considered “exciting” new electric technology
by equipping 128 helmets with lights. These headdresses were worn by Electra
krewe members and no doubt caused a stir due to their novelty. It is believed
by many that this was not only the first parade of Mardi Gras that used
electricity, but that it may have been the first parade anywhere to have done
so.
Today, things are a far cry from those days of old. Over the years, the use of
electricity has grown by massive proportions and serves as an enhancement to
the festive atmosphere of carnival. Anyone who has been to a night parade has
seen the fancifully lit floats, including the floats of “Super Krewe” parades
such as Bacchus and Endymion. The huge floats in these notable parades feature
modern fiber optic technology and automated moving parts.
It may be hard for some to imagine carnival without electricity-reliant
elements to bring the “Greatest Free Show on Earth” to life. For many years,
however, nighttime processions were illuminated by nothing more than torches.
Huge “flambeaux” torches were carried between floats by people on foot; the
original carriers were slaves. Today, the flambeaux carriers can still be seen
in many parades, and they are given tips by the crowd and are revered as
“bearers of the flame” of old New Orleans traditions. In many parades, old
meets new as flambeaux carriers are followed by huge floats adorned with the
latest in fiber optic technology.
During carnival, there is no delicacy that is
more revered than Mardi Gras King Cakes. A culinary tradition that has been
practiced for decades in the Crescent City, New Orleans King Cakes have an
interesting history.
This oval shaped dough ring is baked with a layer of icing and purple, green, and gold colored sugar on top. Although King Cakes have evolved to take on many forms and tastes over the decades, the traditional version consisted of a simple cake ring with colored sugar. Modern additions may include anything from braided rings to flavorful filling, such as cheesecake filling or blueberry filling.
The most important ingredient in any King Cake, however, is the coveted baby. This “baby” is generally a small plastic or ceramic figurine of a newborn. This
infant is symbolic of the Christ Child of the Catholic faith. The baby is
hidden in the cake, and the lucky party invitee who finds it in his or her cake
is required to host the next party. This person is given the designation of
“King” or “Queen” for that party; this is in honor of the Three Kings of the
nativity story, who search for the Christ Child much in the way revelers do at
King Cake parties. Early cakes contained objects such as beans to symbolize the
infant. Today, plastic babies are specially manufactured for this unique New
Orleans tradition.
The connection to the Three Kings comes about because the first day of the
carnival season falls on January 6th, or the “King’s Day” of the Epiphany. This
day is also referred to locally as “Twelfth Night.” Beginning with Twelfth
Night, locals start indulging in their favorite carnival tradition. They
continue with the sugar high until Mardi Gras night, which marks the end of
carnival and the beginning of the Lenten season of repentance. The people of
Louisiana are fortunate to enter this season with memories of such delicious
indulgence to carry them through.
There are few celebrations that have developed
their own musical genre. In New Orleans, music is such a part of carnival that
fans of Mardi Gras can literally develop a playlist that will run for hours.
Most carnival visitors have witnessed the wild abandon of revelers in Mardi
Gras masks, costumes, or Mardi Gras accessories cutting a rug to the most
joyful music to be found anywhere. Many songs stand out in this huge collection of carnival music. However, there is only one song that has stood the test of
time as a royal anthem of Mardi Gras: “If I Ever Cease to Love.”
The funny thing is that this song really is a bunch of nonsense! It is a simple
old-fashioned tune that gives examples of fantastical things that would all
happen before the singer “ceases to love.” It is curious that this song does
not mention Mardi Gras at all, yet it has been used for generations as the
official royal anthem of the most prominent and traditionally respected parade
in New Orleans, Rex.
The song was used at the first Rex parade, held in 1872. The song was used to
represent the King and Queen. An interesting tidbit about that first parade is
that actual royalty were in attendance, as the parade was witnessed by the
Russian Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich Romanov and his entourage. It is said
that the Grand Duke played along and bowed to the “King” and “Queen” of New
Orleans on their one day as nobility.
The song “If I Ever Cease to Love” was based on an English song first published
in 1871. It is believed that the song was plagiarized by an American performer
named Lydia Thompson and was claimed as her own. In either case, the tradition
of playing this song as a backdrop to Rex events is a comforting tradition that
recalls the days of old.
Aside from private parties and balls, most Mardi
Gras traditions are visible to the public. However, there are local traditions
that are a bit more hidden; they are not intended for participation or viewing
beyond a select group or neighborhood. One such tradition is that of the Mardi
Gras Indians.
For over a century, these groups have created beaded costumes consisting of
feathered masks, heavy headdresses, and full-on regalia with an American Indian
motif. These painstakingly handcrafted costumes are among the most beautiful
costumes that can be found anywhere; they are often displayed as objects of
art.
Composed of inner-city African American men, the “tribes” have used Mardi Gras
as an opportunity to settle “scores" in the neighborhood. A century ago, a
decision was made to channel this energy into a non-violent means of “settling
scores” by using creativity instead of using violence. This embrace of the
carnival culture to turn inner-city strife into a creative celebration makes
the history of the Indians quite fascinating.
Some time ago, African Americans were not welcome in parading organizations,
which were private clubs for the wealthy. Because of this, the competitive
crafting of costumes became an alternative way to celebrate Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras Indians take their imagery and names from Native American tribes;
this is a tribute to the many Native Americans who helped free people of color
from the shackles of slavery. The competition comes in as participants dance
and chant in their gorgeous costumes. On Fat Tuesday and other important days
of the year, they will strut with pride in amazing displays of color and
bravado. Much local New Orleans music is based on chants that originate with
Mardi Gras Indians.
Catching sight of a band of Indians en route to an early morning showdown is
truly a fortunate thing to behold. In a city full of unique wonders, the
mysterious and colorful Mardi Gras Indians, strutting like beaded and feathered
peacocks, may be the most wondrous sight of all.
