The History And Traditions Of Mardi Gras
Most of the traditions of Mardi Gras and the revelry associated with it are much the same today as they were in the times of the ancient Romans who were responsible for the origins of this raucous celebration. Nowhere in the documented history of Mardi Gras, however, is there any mention of the “tradition” where women offer a peak of their breasts in exchange for a string of beads. The late 20th century can take full responsibility for that!
What we do know is that the Romans held a festival every year in mid February to honor their god of fertility and agriculture, Lupercus. They called this celebration Lupercalia and it was filled with days of drinking, eating, and the “pleasures of the flesh”. This all sounds like the Mardi Gras that we know. In fact, the entire period of celebration was sometimes referred to as “Carnival” which translates to “farewell to the flesh”.
The Church eventually continued this yearly festival in their effort to convert the pagans to Christianity. They adapted these festivals to be a last period of celebration before Lent began. Lent is period between Ash Wednesday and Easter when Christians purify their souls by refraining from earthly indulgences of the flesh. Mardi Gras began to spread across all of Europe, with each region starting their own traditions. In England, to this day, they celebrate Shrove Tuesday with pancake feasts, pancake eating contests, and other pancake-related events.
The French, whose version of Mardi Gras was particularly rowdy and bawdy, brought it to America, specifically New Orleans, around 1700. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, in reference to the wildness and indulgence of this pre-Lent celebration. The colors associated with Mardi
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