Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Further Reflections on the Courir de Mardi Gras

My last post described my experience participating in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras 2013 in Cajun Louisiana. In this post, I will reflect further on the Courir.

In case you haven't read the previous post, a Courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras Run, is the Cajun way of celebrating Mardi Gras. Costumed and masked participants (each participant called a Mardi Gras) trek from farm to farm, on foot or on horseback, to beg ingredients for a community gumbo to be cooked and shared later in the day. Below, you see the Mardi Gras walking from one farm to another.

Mardi Gras participating in the Faquetaigue Courir walk from one farm to another.

I would call the Courir de Mardi Gras a form of high play. As I understand it, it is an acting out of the peasant, or perhaps even the serf, role in a society where the wealthy land-owners held the power.

On Mardi Gras, the peasant grabs some of this power. Unrecognizable in costume and mask, the Mardi Gras represent peasants begging for food and coins from the wealthy land-owner. But the peasants have the power of anonymity and the license granted by the mis-rule of the day. In complete disguise, they are free to threaten and play tricks on the land-owner as they over-run his farm, chasing chickens and creating mayhem.

I could tell, from my participation in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras, that this re-enactment provided huge fun, great release of energy, high entertainment, and joyful celebration for the participants, both Mardi Gras and farm hosts. The Mardi Gras vied in chasing and catching chickens, engaged in mock fights, provoked the "vilains" (who were armed with whips of rope to "keep order"), and danced energetically to the Cajun music of the Courir musicians. Everyone seemed to be having a marvelous time!

Mardi Gras in Cajun Louisiana is a most lively celebration in preparation for Lent. Cajuns are mostly Catholic, so Lent is observed. I got up early on Ash Wednesday and went to Mass at Saint Joseph's Church in Rayne LA. I found the church about 3/4 full for the 6:30 a.m. Mass.

One thing that is quite different from New Orleans Mardi Gras is the deep connection with the land. From what I saw, many Cajuns still live on and from the land, and life is closely connected with the land. It was probably not so long ago that, when the land did not produce enough, starvation became a real possibility, and life was in jeopardy. In fact, I think that life was often hard, making life precious and worthy of celebration.

The Mardi Gras in each Courir walk across the land, on foot or on horseback, stopping at the farms of their neighbors. It is a great celebration of the land, of the food that the land yields, and of the community that lives on the land.

I was incredibly impressed with the friendliness, openness, and hospitality of the Cajun people. The young people on the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras (most participants were in their 20s and 30s) were welcoming and happy to share with my friend David and me about their lives and their culture. We are especially grateful for the hospitality of Kelly and Lance Pitre of L'Acadie Inn just outside Eunice LA, who opened the door for us to participate in the Faquetaigue Courir.

I will conclude with a list of several sources that David and I found helpful in informing ourselves about Cajun Mardi Gras.

• BOOK. Carnaval! by Barbara Mauldin (2004). Gives a history of carnival and describes the carnival traditions of various cities in Europe and the Americas, including Cajun Mardi Gras and New Orleans Mardi Gras. Generously illustrated with gorgeous photographs - like a coffee table book.
• BOOK. Cajun Mardi Gras Masks by Carl Lindahl (1997). Describes various types of Cajun Mardi Gras masks and shows how they are made. Generously illustrated with great photos.
• BOOK. Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings in Louisiana Culture by Marcia G. Gaudet (2003). Exactly what the title says.
• VIDEO. Dance for a Chicken: The Cajun Mardi Gras by Pat Mire (1993). An excellent video about the Courir de Mardi Gras and its significance.

My next post will describe experiences other than the Courir de Mardi Gras during my visit to Cajun Louisiana.

Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras

My previous post showed my friend David and me in our Cajun Mardi Gras costumes and masks. This post describes the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras, with photos by David.

In Cajun Louisiana, Mardi Gras is celebrated with a Courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras Run, in which costumed and masked participants (each participant called a Mardi Gras) trek from farm to farm on horseback or on foot to beg ingredients for a community gumbo, which is cooked and shared later in the day.

David and I spent Mardi Gras in Cajun Louisiana, expecting to watch a Courir de Mardi Gras as it departed or arrived in one of the towns. Serendipitously, we received an invitation to participate in a Courir! A woman named Andrea, with whom we chatted at the pre-Mardi Gras festivities in Eunice, told us about the events organized by her daughter and son-in-law, Kelly and Lance Petri, who own and run L'Acadie Inn on the outskirts of Eunice. We decided to drop by L'Acadie Inn, where we met Kelly and Lance - and where we received an invitation to participate in the Faquetaigue Courir!

To participate in a Courir de Mardi Gras, a proper costume and mask are required. David and I had already made Cajun Mardi Gras costumes and had those with us, so all we needed were masks. My previous post shows how David beautifully embellished two bare-bones Cajun Mardi Gras masks that we purchased in Eunice. Then, we were all set!

On Mardi Gras morning, we met at L'Acadie Inn, and then drove over to the gathering site for the Faquetaigue Courir. Faquetaigue, as I understand it, is the name given to a group of small communities on the outskirts of Eunice. The word "faquetaigue" means "turkey" in one of the Native American Indian languages. It is pronounced something like this: fack-ee-tie-yay.

Below, you see the Mardi Gras gathering in their costumes and masks prior to the Courir.

The Mardi Gras gather for the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras!

Babies gather, too, in the arms of their dads!

After instructions from the Capitaine, we got underway, walking from farm to farm on VERY MUDDY roads! It had rained hard throughout most of the previous day, and the ground was muddy, muddy, muddy!

The Mardi Gras walk from one farm to another.

Upon arrival at a farm, the Capitaine formally requested permission to enter the property. When permission was granted, a flag was waved, and the Mardi Gras poured into the yard. We fell to our knees (in the mud!) before our hosts and raised our hands to beg for the gumbo ingredients while singing, "Donnez quelque chose pour le Mardi Gras!" ("Give something for the Mardi Gras!"). Our hosts then walked among the Mardi Gras, handing out ingredients and even money. Usually a chicken was provided, but the chicken was loose and had to be chased down. Then, to thank our hosts and to celebrate, we danced to Cajun music played by musicians accompanying the Courir.

The Mardi Gras beg for gumbo ingredients on their knees!

Musicians with the Courir play Cajun music in a farmyard to thank our hosts!

The Mardi Gras thank our hosts and celebrate by dancing!

And more dancing!

At the mid-point, we stopped in a large field for a rest break, which included boudin (a Cajun sausage). I had been told that we would be having this boudin break, and I had imagined receiving the boudin in some sort of sandwich. I was surprised to be handed a big, long, fat sausage to eat by itself! It was delicious!

One of our last stops was at the grave of Dennis McGee, one of the first Cajun musicians to be recorded, and his wife, Gladys. Out of respect for Dennis and Gladys and their contributions to Cajun culture, the Faquetaigue Courir musicians played at their graveside, and a priest led us in prayer: we said the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.

At the end of the Courir, David and I were exhausted! We didn't have the energy to stay around for the gumbo, but went back to our motel and crashed!

ADDITIONAL INTERESTING POINTS about the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras.

• TREME. The Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras is the one shown in Season 2 of the television series Treme.
•  MUSIC. The Faquetaigue Courir is one of the most musical Courirs. Cajun musicians accompany the Courir and play as the Mardi Gras walk from farm to farm and then dance in each farmyard.
• PROPER COSTUME AND MASK. Everyone in the Faquetaigue Courir must wear a Cajun Mardi Gras costume and mask. No beads, trinkets, or other items specific to New Orleans Mardi Gras are allowed.
• PARTICIPATION. Participation is required! Everyone in the Faquetaigue Courir must help in begging for gumbo ingredients (and sometimes chasing chickens) and must thank the hosts by dancing! No spectators!
• LES VILAINS. The rules are enforced by "vilains," who wield whips made of rope with which they actually hit any Mardi Gras who gets out of line! There is a lot of good-natured "provoking" of the "vilains" and engaging in mock fights, which the "vilains" run to break up with their whips!
• MY TREATMENT BY THE VILAINS. Much to my surprise, far from being flicked with the whip, I was treated quite respectfully by the "vilains," who several times offered me their arm to step over an especially muddy puddle!
• AGE. The Faquetaigue Courir is relatively new. It was founded in 2006. Also, the Mardi Gras on the Faquetaigue Courir tend to be young - in their 20s and 30s. David and I were the oldest participants, but we found the young people very friendly and happy to talk with us.

Me!

FINAL SHOUT-OUTS!

• A huge thank-you to DAVID for creating our awesome masks and taking the wonderful photos in this blog post!
• A huge thank-you to the very generous and hospitable KELLY AND LANCE PITRE OF L'ACADIE INN just outside Eunice and to Kelly's mother, ANDREA. Check out L'Acadie Inn at its wonderfully named website: http://www.hotboudin.com !