Mardi Gras, a popular New Orleans’ Holiday, was celebrated on March 1 at Barstow. The holiday acts as a prelude to Lent, the yearly Christian practice of fasting, penance, and sacrifice for 40 days. Also known as “Fat Tuesday,” the holiday is infamously known for its excess and debauchery. Mardi Gras traditions include parades, unique Louisianian foods such as King Cake, and games. The festivities can begin up to a month before the actual day of Mardi Gras. hile many students can be seen wearing Mardi-Gras beads, few hold a deeper understanding of the holiday’s rich history.
Mardi Gras began somewhere in Medieval Europe, originating in places such as Venice and Rome, and eventually making its way to the French House Of Bourbons. This was where the celebration officially began, then being known as Boeuf Gras, or Fatted Calf. Eventually, a French explorer brought the festival to southern Louisiana, naming his landing spot Point du Mardi Gras, on the day before Boeuf Gras was set to begin in France. The earliest reference to the phrase Mardi Gras was in a report by Spanish colonists in 1871. However, the practice of parades and celebrations has existed for much longer.
Organizations like Mardi Gras KC have also attempted to incorporate charity into the holiday, raising money for organizations such as BoysGrow, and the Quixotic School Of Performing Arts. Mardi Gras KC is a derivation of the Kansas City based organization of Social Heart. Social Heart’s purpose is to raise money for charities within the KC metropolitan area through community-based events. In 2013, the founders of Social Heart started Mardi Gras KC, seeing the opportunity for larger, and more publicized events.
Most students seem to have a vague idea of what the holiday actually represents. Unaware of the deeper religious and cultural connections, many see it as a simplistic and hedonistic holiday.
Some students, however, partake in the celebration more than others. Barstow student Evan Doskey’s (‘23) family celebrates the holiday every year, a tradition that began when Doskey’s parents were living in New Orleans.
“My family’s from New Orleans [and] it’s a much larger holiday down there, so I celebrate when it comes around. Sometimes my grandparents send me King Cake, and I sometimes bring it,” explains Doskey.
“They have kid parades, but if you stay out late it gets more adult,” Doskey ‘23 comments. The nature of the holiday remains less than kid-friendly, a likely reason for the absence of any official Barstow acknowledgement.
“I would love to see Barstow engagement with Mardi Gras,” says Anita Mohan (‘23), a Barstow lifer. “The French Club probably did something in the past, but I haven’t seen anything since I’ve been in high school. Before that I didn’t really pay attention.”
