Well, I have been putting off writing all day, and now that I’m finally getting to it, I bailed on my original post, because I just spent the last, oh, 5 hours going down a Mardi Gras rabbit hole.
If you know me, you know I’m from South Louisiana. I’m an Asian-Cajun, and I love my Mardi Gras. It is my favorite holiday (and to be clear, it’s a season, not just a day). Besides my family, it’s probably one of the biggest things I miss about home. Why is that? Well…
The Abbeys 2020
You get to play dress up: It’s like Halloween, but not the scary parts. You can wear big things, shiny things, velvet things, whatever you can dream up. Oh, and you can paint your face.
Krewe de Porte en Pierre 2022!
Community: What did we do during Mardi Gras in Louisiana? Parades, parties, events. It was a reason to celebrate, and we celebrated in community. I didn’t realize this until a friend recently brought it up to me; many people who didn’t grow up with Mardi Gras, don’t really understand what Mardi Gras is about, and many just think it’s about drinking, boobs, and debauchery. Sure, it can get that way with the right crowd, but the Mardi Gras I grew up with was all about families getting together to socialize and celebrate being together. The adults gathered, and yes, drinks were had…and there are also all kids running around being kids, and neighbors catching up with neighbors.
Oh, and guess what else makes an appearance at these gatherings?…
Shrimp, Sausage & Chicken Gumbo
Food: If you know me, you know my love of food. I’ll thank my family for instilling that characteristic in me. I remember the big spreads of food at any house I went to during Mardi Gras. I particularly remember houses on parade routes…all the doors open, food and drink everywhere, people coming in, going out. There was gumbo, jambalaya, meat pies, sauce piquante, dips, crackers, burgers, hot dogs…no one was ever going to go hungry.
The Brown Owl w/ B Side Brass Band in 2020!
Music: I love Mardi Gras music. I love Zydeco music. I love Cajun music. Sprinkle in some old country and rock and that is the music I grew up with. It’s good music to dance to and makes you smile :-)
Handmade “throws” by yours truly! A collectors item, if you ask me ;-)
You get to be creative: This is related to #1, but I think “dress up” get's to have its own number. Here, I’m focused more on the general artistic side of Mardi Gras. At a time when we spend so much of our lives connected to electronics and tending to our never ending to-do list, here is an opportunity to create something, whether it’s your costume, an event with a theme, handmade throws for a parade, beading, or any other type of craft you dream up during the season. This year, I made my first ever handmade throws for our neighborhood Mardi Gras parade. It was so fun!!
All of this together creates this environment where you don’t have to take things so seriously, and can be a little carefree and celebratory. Also, it creates an opportunity to bring people together, in food, creativity, and fun. Connection….is what it’s all about!!
So you can see why I love Mardi Gras so much. Since moving to Bend, I started a small Mardi Gras parade in my neighborhood (Krewe de Porte en Pierre).
We paused in 2021, but brought it back this year and it grew! Tomorrow (Fat Tuesday) I’ll head to a local food truck for a Cajun style lunch and then head to the local theatre for a live Mardi Gras show. I know of one other spot having a Mardi Gras party. That’s about it for Mardi Gras in Bend this year. I think I’m going to do something about that for next year. Stay tuned. And if you live in Bend and are interested, you should drop me a line.
-M