On Fat Tuesday, the United States -- outside of Louisiana -- has a vague idea there is something going on down in New Orleans. They might get a 30-second glimpse of the parades and pageantry, debauchery and general merriment on the national news. They know there's a party going on, but it's not really on their radar. It looks something like this.
What they likely don't know is there's a whole side of Mardi Gras the rest of the country rarely sees. Travel outside the larger cities, and Mardi Gras looks completely different. In the rural areas of Louisiana, Mardi Gras means trail rides, chicken runs, pots of steaming gumbo, music and dancing.
I've wanted to experience one of these events for years. Alas, it is still "on the list." But my friend, fellow kayaker and photographer Ian Wright, ventured to Church Point yesterday for this "Courir de Mardi Gras." Thank you, Ian, for sharing these terrific photos!
Laissez les bon ton temps rouler!
What they likely don't know is there's a whole side of Mardi Gras the rest of the country rarely sees. Travel outside the larger cities, and Mardi Gras looks completely different. In the rural areas of Louisiana, Mardi Gras means trail rides, chicken runs, pots of steaming gumbo, music and dancing.
I've wanted to experience one of these events for years. Alas, it is still "on the list." But my friend, fellow kayaker and photographer Ian Wright, ventured to Church Point yesterday for this "Courir de Mardi Gras." Thank you, Ian, for sharing these terrific photos!
Laissez les bon ton temps rouler!
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2 comments:
You are right that Mardi Gras was not on my radar. I didn't realize that yesterday was Mardi Gras until this morning - we totally missed it!
The photos are inexplicable. Is that a chicken run? Do the chickens actually run? Is it and event where people dressed up as chickens go running? People holding chickens do the running? In any case, it looks like a boatload of fun (except maybe for the chickens).
CHM, the chickens are released, maybe one at a time, and the people run after them and try to catch them. I don't think the people are dressed as chickens. It is just traditional rural Mardi Gras garb.
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