This week we’re introducing you to carnival traditions from around the world, because when you look at other countries, it’s easy to see just how different our customs and traditions are. Today it’s the turn of the United States, where February’s celebrations are called “Mardi Gras.” Especially in the southern USA, the parades and festivals are even louder and flashier than the carnival parade in Cologne…
There Mardi Gras
Colorfully lit street in New Orleans – f11photo / Shutterstock
The term “Mardi Gras” comes from the French and means something like “fat Tuesday”. What is meant is the carnival tuesday, i.e. the last day before the beginning of the 40-day Lent of Christians before Easter. In order to regain strength before fasting, Christians ate a lot of hearty, fatty foods during the “week of the seven fat days” and especially on “Fat Tuesday”. So the designation has one religious origin and got through French immigrants brought to America. In the meantime, however, festivals on other days of Mardi Gras are also called “Mardi Gras” in the USA – especially in southern cities such as New Orleans. There will be celebrations from that Epiphany on January 6th until Ash Wednesday.
Celebrations in New Orleans
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Die Mardi Gras Festivals in New Orleans are undoubtedly among the most famous carnival festivals in the world. Huge processions take place during which one can observe diverse cultural and musical influences. They are organized by the Crabs, social associations funded by donations. That’s why the “Krewe du Kanaval” marks the start of the celebrations – this is the day dedicated to people with Haitian and African roots. The foolish parades, which follow it, have a long tradition and have become more colorful and louder over time. Today they are led by an elected king or queen. Instead of sweets – as is often the case in Germany – coins or thick plastic pearl necklaces are thrown into the crowds from the lovingly and laboriously decorated floats. The chains will “Beads” and are usually colored in the traditional colors of Mardi Gras: Purple, Green and Gold. The green represents trust and loyalty, the gold symbolizes power and honor and the violet represents justice.
King Cake – the king cake
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Also the so-called King Cake decorated with icing or sprinkles in the traditional colors of the American Mardi Gras. The King Cake tradition is particularly widespread in New Orleans and, like Mardi Gras itself, was founded by French immigrants. They brought them “Cake of the Kings” to Louisiana, a ring-shaped cake made from yeast dough, which is still eaten on Epiphany in southern France. The North French variant made from puff pastry is called “French King Cake” in the USA. Since the American Mardi Gras season begins on the day of Epiphany, the tradition of the king cake continues there with the whole Mardi-Gras-Season tied together. The cake is eaten with coffee, cinnamon, berries and cream and usually is one small figure hidden in it – whoever finds it has to buy the King Cake next time.
Even outside of the carnival season there are in New Orleans a lot to see! Here you will find the best Hotels in New Orleans.
