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MARDI GRAS
Krewes
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" We all get a little wild
at the Mardi Gras"
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Mardi Gras
started a long, long time ago, and at different times in
different places, it's origins are based in religion and
tradition. |
1830-
“ Rakin Cowbellion de Society”, paraded the following New
Year's Eve in 1931.
1857 the “ Krewe of Comos “
hosted the first organized Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
City
Officials site Comos as saving New Orleans Marid Gras.
Starting the tradition of the presenting of a King Cake to
ladies and the lady who finds the "golden bean" will be the
queen.
1870, The 12th Night Revelers- after the Civil War a
second Krewe made it’s debut. They named themselves the Twelfth
Night Revelers and chose Jan 6, ( the 12th night) to
present their parade and ball. They are responsible for the
introduction of a tradition still recognized today. A Mardi Gras
Queen, via the selection of the Queen by presenting ladies with
a King Cake
with a small golden bean inside. The lucky lady finding the
bean becomes the Queen.
(
click here for King Cake history and ordering info)The Revelers no longer host a parade. The Revelers ball and their
traditional streetcar , “ Phunny Phorty Phellows” mark the
official start of the season for Mardi Gras in New Orleans to
this day.
In 1872- REX- A Royal visit brings about the birth of New Krewes and
new traditions. Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia plans to
visit the city to see a performance by Miss Lydia Thompson. It
is rumored that
the Duke had
received a “private performance” by Miss Thompson in New York
where she sang a ballad “If Ever I Ccease to Love” . Prominat
City leaders and citizens decided to create a new Krewe,
complete with a Royal Court, including a King and Queen. They
named their group, “School of Design” and their Kings name would
be REX, ( Latin for King). Rex declared the official colors of
Mardi Gras to be Purple,
standing for justice,
GOLD standing for power and
GREEN representing faith. An official viewing stand was
created for the Duke, and as he watched REX was perched high
atop a riverboat, then leading a group of a reported 10,000
masked revilers more than a mile long past the Duke. Several
bands were in this group and they all played the song, “If Ever
I Cease to Love” . Even over 135 years later Rex is still the
King of Carnival in New Orleans, The song is still the official
song and the colors remain fast in tradition today.
1873 The
Knights of
MOMOS, was founded , taking it’s name from one of ESOPs
fables, and making it’s debut on New Years Eve.
1882-The Krewe
of PROTEUS, was founded, with an Egyptian themed ball
and parade.
1890 the
first Marching Krewe, “The Jefferson City Buzzards” was formed
and began participating.
In
1894, The
Original Illinois Club was the first black Mardi Gras
Association.
1896, the
first all female Krewe was born, Les
Mysterieuses.
1908 -
Gulf Coast Carnival Association Roots- Biloxi
Mississippi was the first City in Mississippi to host an
official Mardi Gras parade in 1908 with 17 floats, 150 torch
carriers their Monarchs were King d’Iberville and Queen Ixolib, (
Biloxi spelled backwards) In 1916 a group organized in Biloxi
Mississippi, named themselves the Biloxi Literary and Carnival
Association, which became the Gulf Coast Carnival Association
chartered in 1946 and still participating and hosting parades
today. In 1929 other coast cities joined in the tradition and
started forming their own Krewes and hosting parades and balls.
In 1909, Zulu was born, it is the oldest parading
African-American krewe. The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club,
which first took to the streets in 1909. As a parody of REX,
King Zulu rode in on an Oyster Lugar instead of a steam boat.
The group dressed its king in a sack and a crown fashioned from
a lard can. A banana stalk was his scepter. ZULU fast became a
crowd favorite and remains so today. They introduced the gilded
coconuts (painted gold and decorated with glitter) are one of
the season's most prized throws but outlawed now in many parades
due to public safety risks. ( Getting hit in the head with a
coconut from a float can lead to an abrupt halt in your Mardi
Gras plan).
1966- The Krewe of Nerieds-
The Krewe of Nereids was organized in 1966 by a
group of outstanding Waveland, Mississippi business and
professional women, and now includes in its membership ladies
not only from the Bay St. Louis - Waveland area, but from the
entire coastal region and beyond. 2006 marks the Krewes 40th
anniversary.
1988- The North Bay Area Mardi
Gras Association was formed by Jane & Joe Rogers, Jim and
Judy Bird. They rolled their first parade thru the streets of
Diberville and St Martin Mississippi in 1989. Each year they
welcome new krewes and groups into the parade they host which is
traditionally the Sunday before fat tuesday. Their Queen is La
Marin, named after one of the ships that Pierre Lemoyne
dIberville sailed to this area. LeMoyne was selected as the name
for their king because of the historical ties to the area. Their
emblem was designed thru a contest in local schools, and is used
to this day.
In 2006 the association rolled it's parade even after the
absolute devastation to these small communities just 6 months
earlier by Hurricane Katrina. They did not host a ball or have
royalty rule for the 2006 parade, opting to carry it over to a
new year.
You can watch a slide show of the North Bay Area Mardi Gras
Association 2006 parade by clicking here.
More info and contact info concerning Krewes coming soon,
Until then read about the formation of several Krewes in the
History of Mardi Gras
Send in your Mardi Gras Photos to
info@gogulfcost.biz
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