For those planning a trip to Louisiana you should be aware of our laws.
Louisiana Laws
It is illegal to shoot lasers at police officers.
One may not "dare" another to go onto railroad tracks owned by another. Violation of this could result in up to six months in jail.
Stealing an alligator could land a person in jail for up to ten years.
It is illegal to steal a "movable" even if it classified as an "immovable"
Rituals that involve the ingestion of blood, urine, or fecal matter are not allowed.
One could land in jail for up to a year for making a false promise.
Every time a person is seriously burned, he must report the injury to the fire marshal.
Prisoners who hurt themselves could serve an additional two years in jail.
It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol.
Biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault," while biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault."
City Laws
Jefferson Parish Laws
Minors may not go to businesses with coin-operated foosball machines unless accompanied by an adult. Furthermore, the adult's name must be publicly displayed in the establishment
No one may pour a drink out on the ground at any drive-in movie.
All garbage must be cooked before it can be fed to any hogs.
New Orleans Laws
You may not tie an alligator to a fire hydrant
It illegal for a woman to drive a car unless her husband is waving a flag in front of it.
Television reporters may not throw candy to the crowd during a parade.
No one may throw a bottle of Coke at a parade float.
Condoms may not be thrown from parade floats during Mardi Gras.
“No Smoking” signs shall be placed on all floats used during a parade.
Snakes are not allowed within 200 yards of the Mardi Gras parade route.
It is illegal to practice voodoo in the city limits.
City commission members may not drink during a public meeting or risk a $50 fine.
“Mardi Gras Beads” may not be thrown from a third story window Chasing fish in a city park is against the law.
One may not host a game of marbles at Lafayette Square unless he or she first obtains a written permit from the parkway and park commission.
Horses may not be tied to a tree on a public highway.
Trying to save the rain forest? Don’t try in New Orleans, because it is illegal to plant a tree in any city park.
Apparently New Orleans residents aren’t totally familiar with electric poles. Fixing electric wires to trees is illegal
Feel like showing some Christmas spirit? Make sure you don’t decorate a roadside tree, for that is against the law.
Don’t try to do any kind of fancy bicycle riding in this town. All riders must keep at least one hand on the wheel at all times
Port Allen Laws No person may predict another's future.
Only two people may picket on a sidewalk at a time, and they must stay at least five feet apart at all times.
Sulphur Laws
Drive-thru liquor stores are outlawed
It is illegal to have sex with a cow.
It is illegal to be an alcoholic.
Saying obscene things on the telephone is illegal.
In New Orleans, fire trucks are required by law to stop at all red lights.
It is considered simple assault to bite someone in New Orleans, but it is aggravated assault if the biter has false teeth. It is against the law to gargle in public.
I repeat,it is illegal to tie a alligator to a fire hydrant, To do so the law will confiscate the gator'ha-hA
Jazz
The music called Jazz was born sometime around 1895 in New Orleans. It combined elements of Ragtime, marching band music and Blues. What differentiated Jazz from these earlier styles was the widespread use of improvisation, often by more than one player at a time. Jazz represented a break from Western musical traditions, where the composer wrote a piece of music on paper and the musicians then tried their best to play exactly what was in the score. In a Jazz piece, the song is often just a starting point or frame of reference for the musicians to improvise around. The song might have been a popular ditty or blues that they didn't compose, but by the time they were finished with it they had composed a new piece that often bore little resemblance to the original song. Many of these virtuoso musicians were not good sight readers and some could not read music at all, nevertheless their playing thrilled audiences and the spontaneous music they created captured a joy and sense of adventure that was an exciting and radical departure from the music of that time. The first Jazz was played by African-American and Creole musicians in New Orleans. The cornet player, Buddy Bolden is generally considered to be the first real Jazz musician. Other early players included Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson and Clarence Williams. Although these musicians names are unknown to most people, then and now, their ideas are still being elaborated on to this day. Most of these men could not make a living with their music and were forced to work menial jobs to get by. The second wave of New Orleans Jazz musicians like Joe "King" Oliver, Kid Ory and Jelly Roll Morton formed small bands that took the music of these older men and increased the complexity and dynamic of their music, as well as gaining greater commercial success. This music became know as "Hot Jazz", because of the often breakneck speeds and amazing improvised polyphony that these bands produced. A young virtuoso cornet player named Louis Armstrong was discovered in New Orleans by King Oliver. Armstrong soon grew to become the greatest Jazz musician of his era and eventually one of the biggest stars in the world. The impact of Armstrong and other Jazz musicians altered the course of both popular and Classical music. African-American musical styles became the dominant force in 20th century music.
Scott Alexander
Check out the Red Hot Jazz group if you are interested in talking about old jazz at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RedHotJazz
Since I'm from Louisiana I should know a lot about Alligators,but since I don't, I'll fake it.
Alligator
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article refers to the large reptile on Alligators .
American alligator
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodylia
Family: Alligatoridae
Genus: Alligator
Species
Alligator mississippiensis
Alligator sinensis
Alligator is a genus of the Alligatoridae family of crocodile-like reptiles. It includes two known species:
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis)
Alligators live in wet, stagnant, freshwater environments such as ponds, marshes, or swamps. Although alligators have heavy bodies and slow metabolisms, they are capable of short bursts of speed that can exceed 30 miles per hour. Alligators kill by biting their prey and then spinning and convulsing wildly.
Alligators are characterized by a broad snout and very dorsally located eyes compared to crocodiles. Both living species also tend to be darker in color, often nearly black (although the Chinese Alligator has some light patterning. Also, in alligators only the upper teeth can be seen with the jaws closed (in contrast to crocodiles, in which upper and lower teeth can be seen), though many animals bear jaw deformities which complicate this means of identification.
The name alligator is the Anglicized form of the Spanish phrase el lagarto (the lizard), as the conquistadors who came to Florida referred to it.
Myths and Facts
Myth:: Alligators live for hundreds of years.
Fact: Alligators in the wild are believed to live 35 - 50 years. In captivity their life span may be significantly longer, perhaps 60-80 years. Currently, there are no scientific methods of analyzing an alligators age while it is alive.
Myth: Alligators can grow to enormous proportions, over 20 feet in length and weighing a ton or more.
Fact: The longest recorded length for an alligator is 19' 2'. This animal was trapped in the early 1900's in the State of Louisiana. Most wild alligators do not get above 13 feet in length, and may weigh 600 pounds or more.
Myth: Crocodiles and alligators open their jaws differently. The jaws of the crocodile are hinged to open the top jaw, while alligators open their bottom.
Fact: Alligators and crocodiles jaws are hinged the same. Both animals hinge their jaws on the bottom, the top jaw is simply an extension of the skull.
Myth: Alligators are immune to the bite of poisonous snakes. Fact: Alligators are not immune to snake poison. However, they do have extremely tough skin, and an armored back protected by bony plates called scutes. It is possible that this protection may prevent a snake's fangs from penetrating the skin.
Myth: Only the tail of the alligator is edible.
Fact: Although the tail of the alligator is considered the prime cut, all the meat of the alligator is edible.
What is a Cajun?
And just as Saturday night at the fais-do-do replenishes his store of energy and his personal balance so he can meet the next week's chores with vigor ... Sunday at Church refreshes his spiritual and moral values and keeps strong his always-sustaining faith.
A link with a proud past, a Cajun is a man of tolerance who will let the world go its way if the world will let him go his. He is a man of great friendliness who will give you the crawfish off his table, the sac-au-lait off his hook or the shirt off his back.
But if you cross a Cajun, he'll give you the back of his hand or the toe of his boot. If he likes you, he'll give you his whole wide, wonderful world. If he doesn't, he'll give you a wide berth.
A Cajun is a complex person, with as many ingredients in his makeup as there are in the gumbo Mama makes for special company.
He has tolerance for those who earn it ... charity for those who need it ... a smile for those who will return it ... and love for all who will share it.
BUT ... a Cajun can be as stubborn as a mule and as ornery as an alligator. If he sets his head on something, he'll fight a circle saw before he'll yield to your opinions.
You'd as well argue with a fence post as try to change the mind of a cajun.
And, as fun-loving as he is, a Cajun can work as long and hard as any man. He carved out "Acadiana" by hand, from the swamps and marshes of uncultivated prairies.
But when the work is done and the argument ended, a Cajun can sweep you right into a wonderful world of joie de vivre with an accordian chorus of "Jolie Blonde," and a handful of happy little words ... five little words to be exact:
"Laissez les bon temps rouller!"
Let the good times roll!
Louisiana Army Joke
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A Marine recruit was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana and he wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking.
After becoming very frustrated with the "no haggle" attitude of oneof the shopkeepers, the Marine shouted, "maybe I'll just go out and get myown alligator so I can get a pair of shoes made at a reasonable price!"
The vendor said, "By all means, be my guest. Maybe you will run into a couple of Army Rangers who were in here earlier saying the same thing."
So the Marine headed into the bayou that same day, and a few hours later came upon two men standing waist deep in the water. He thought, "those must be the two Rangers the guy in town was talking about."
Just then, the Marine saw a tremendously HUGE gator swimming rapidly underwater towards one of the Rangers. Just as the gator was aboutto attack, the Ranger grabbed its neck with both hands and strangled it to death withvery little effort.
Then both Rangers dragged it ashore and flipped it on its back. Laying nearby were several more of the creatures.
One of the Rangers then exclaimed...
"Damn! ... this one doesn't have any shoes either!"
2005 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SCHEDULE
All times Central
PRESEASON
Date Opponent Site Time
August
Fri. 12 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME 7 p.m.
Sat. 18 at New England Patriots Gillette Stadium 7 p.m.
Fri. 26 BALTIMORE RAVENS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME 7 p.m.
September
Fri. 1 at Oakland Raiders McAfee Coliseum TBA
REGULAR SEASON
September
Sun. 11 at Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium Noon (FOX)
Sun. 18 NEW YORK GIANTS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
Sun. 25 at Minnesota Vikings Metrodome Noon (FOX)
October
Sun. 2 BUFFALO BILLS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (CBS)
Sun. 9 at Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field Noon (FOX)
Sun. 16 ATLANTA FALCONS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
Sun. 23 at St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome Noon (FOX)
Sun. 30 MIAMI DOLPHINS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (CBS)
November
Sun. 6 CHICAGO BEARS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
Sun. 13 BYE WEEK
Sun. 20 at New England Patriots Gillette Stadium Noon (FOX)
Sun. 27 at New York Jets Giants Stadium 7:30 pm (ESPN)
December
Sun. 4 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
Mon. 12 at Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome 8:00 p.m. (ABC)
Sun. 18 CAROLINA PANTHERS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
Sat. 24 DETROIT LIONS LOUISIANA SUPERDOME Noon (FOX)
January
Sun. 1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium Noon (FOX)
POSTSEASON
January
Sat.-Sun. 7-8 NFC Wild Card Playoffs
Sat.-Sun. 14-15 NFC Divisional Playoffs
Sun. 22 NFC Championship
February
Sun. 5 Super Bowl XL Detroit, Michigan
Sun. 12 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Honolulu, Hawaii
GO SAINTS!!!
Sept.25,2006
A joyous homecoming
The New Orleans Saints return to the Superdome tonight,
ending a year of post-Katrina frustration.
Saints go marching in
A year after Katrina, football returns to a rebuilt Superdome.
Saints Victorious in Reborn Superdome
New Orleans Saints play first home game in Superdome
since Hurricane Katrina and celebrate a huge win
at home against the Atlanta Falcons. (Sept. 25
New Saints Quarterback Joke
The coach had put together the perfect team for the Saints. The only thing that was missing was a good quarterback. He had scouted all the colleges and even the Canadian and European Leagues, but he couldn't find a ringer who could ensure a Super Bowl win.
Then one night while watching CNN he saw a war-zone scene in Afghanistan. In one corner of the background, he spotted a young Afghan Muslim soldier with a truly incredible arm. He threw a hand-grenade straight into a 15th story window 100 yards away. KABOOM! He threw another hand-grenade 75 yards away, right into a chimney. KA-BLOOEY! Then he threw another at a passing car going 90 mph. BULLS-EYE!
"I've got to get this guy!" Coach said to himself. "He has the perfect arm!"
So, he brings him to the United States and teaches him the great game of American football. And the Saints go on to win the Super Bowl. The young Afghan is hailed as the great hero of football, and when the coach asks him what he wants, all the young man wants is to call his mother.
"Mom," he says into the phone, "I just won the Super Bowl!"
"I don't want to talk to you," the old Muslim woman says. "You deserted us. You are not my son!"
"I don't think you understand, Mother," the young man pleads. "I've won the greatest sporting event in the world. I'm here among thousands of my adoring fans."
"No! Let me tell you!" his mother retorts. "At this very moment, there are gunshots all around us. The neighborhood is a pile of rubble. Your two brothers were beaten within an inch of their lives last week, and I have to keep your sister in the house so she doesn't get raped!" The old lady pauses, and then tearfully says, "I will never forgive you for making us move to New Orleans!"
Mississippi redneck and a Louisiana Cajun fishing
There was a Mississippi redneck and a Louisiana Cajun, fishing on their respective sides of the Mississippi river.
Just as soon as the redneck put his line in the water, he slung a fish onto the bank, and the Cajun was catching nothing, so he yelled across to the redneck, "Buddy, I'd sure like to be on your side of the river!"
"Aight, tell ya whut, I'll shine my flashlight 'cross this river, and you can walk across this little beam of light!" the redneck yelled back.
The Cajun replied, "Hain't no way, buddy.
I know you think I'm a fool!
When I get halfway 'cross, you'll turn your flashlight off!"
Cookin' with crawfish
accent@thenewsstar.com
When it comes to food in Louisiana, perhaps none is more synonymous with the entire state than crawfish. From Monroe to New Orleans to Lake Charles to Shreveport, anywhere you go in the state you can likely find someone piling a plate high with bright red mudbugs. The crawfish season is upon us once again, and here's a look at some of the things fans of Louisiana's favorite crustacean have to look forward to in the coming months. Check out a recipe for Crawfish Etouffee from the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival.
Crawfish Etouffee
4 pounds crawfish tails
2 blocks margarineCrawfish fat, if available
Salt to taste Cayenne pepper to taste
4 medium onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup parsley
3 cups rice, cooked Preseason crawfish tails with salt and cayenne pepper. Sauté onions in margarine, approximately 8 minutes. If crawfish fat is available, add to sautéed onions and cook for 8 minutes. Add seasoned crawfish tails and bell pepper and fry for 8 minutes. Add flour and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water to consistency desired, season to taste, place lid on top and cook for 8 minutes. Add parsley as needed and desired. Serve over cooked rice. 8 servings.
Source: www.louisianatravel.com
Mardi Gras
Past and future Mardi Gras dates
1999 - February 16
2000 - March 7
2001 - February 27
2002 - February 12
2003 - March 4
2004 - February 24
2005 - February 8
2006 - February 28
2007 - February 20
2008 - February 5
2009 - February 24
2010 - February 16
2011 - March 8
2012 - February 21
2013 - February 12
2014 - March 4 2015 - February 17 2016 - February 9
2017 - February 26
Mardi Gras 2006 Parade Calendar
Greater New Orleans Area
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
Krewe du Vieux - French Quarter
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Perseus - Slidell
Little Rascals - Metairie 11:00 a.m.
Pearl River Lions Club - Pearl River 1:15 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Excalibur - Metairie 7:00 p.m.
Eve - Mandeville 7:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Pontchartrain - Uptown
Shangri-La - Uptown
Pygmalion - Uptown
Sparta - Uptown
Pegasus - Uptown
Push Mow - Abita Springs 10:00 a.m.
Aladdin - Westbank noon
Caesar - Metairie 6:00 p.m.
Olympia - Covington 6:00 p.m.
Mona Lisa & Moon Pie - Slidell 7:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Carrollton - Uptown
King Arthur - Uptown
Bards of Bohemia - Uptown
Barkus - French Quarter
Dionysus - Slidell
Alla - Westbank noon
Rhea - Metairie 2:30 p.m.
Centurions - Metairie 5:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Thor - Metairie 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Babylon - Uptown
Chaos - Uptown
Muses - Uptown
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Hermes - Uptown
Krewe d'Etat - Uptown
Morpheus - Uptown
Selene - Slidell
Orpheus - Mandeville 7:00 p.m.
Aquila - Metairie 7:00 p.m.
Knights of Jason - Metairie 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Iris - Uptown
Tucks - Uptown
Endymion - Uptown
Isis - Metairie 6:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Okeanos - Uptown
Thoth - Uptown
Mid-City - Uptown
Bacchus - Uptown
Adonis - West Bank
Corps de Napoleon - Metairie 5:30 p.m.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Proteus - Uptown
Orpheus - Uptown
Zeus - Metairie 6:30 p.m.
MARDI GRAS, FEBRUARY 28
Zulu - Uptown
Rex - Uptown
Elks Orleans - Uptown after Rex
Crescent City - Uptown after Elks
Choctaw - West Bank
Lions - Covington 10:00 a.m.
KaaCee - Covington, after Lions
Argus - Metairie 10:00 a.m.
Elks Jefferson - Metairie after Argus
Jefferson Trucks - Metairie after Elks
Glossary of Terms
Ash Wednesday:The day after Mardi Gras and the first day of Lent. In New Orleans, many Catholics attend Mass and receive an ashen cross on their foreheads to symbolize mortality. It's a school holiday.
Balls: Formal affairs held by Carnival organizations at which their royalty presides. Many groups, including the most prestigious, have balls only and do not parade. Many old-line Carnival organizations now use hotel ballrooms, and attendance is by invitation. Parading krewes usually, but not always, have the ball after the parade. Some krewes, notable Bacchus and Endymion, throw large-scale parties with big-name entertainment.
Bouef Gras: The fatted ox or bull that has, since the Middle Ages, been a part of pre-Lenten celebrations. It symbolizes the last meat eaten before Lent. Until 1901, a real ox, bedecked in garlands of flowers and ribbons, appeared in the Rex parade on Mardi Gras. The first one in 1871 was Old Jeff. The Boeuf Gras bowed out of the Rex parade from 1901 to 1958, then reappeared in 1959 as the giant papier-mache ox on a float that is a traditional part of the parade today.
Call-outs: Individuals "called out" from the audience to dance with krewe members during a ball. They receive small gifts called "favors" from their dance partners. At some balls, general dancing follows the call outs.
Captain: The executive head of a Carnival organization. Captains get to ride in a place of honor in the parade and, while kings and queens reign for a single year, the captain holds the honor for many years. While the identity of the king and queen is often revealed, that of the captain almost always remains a secret.
Carnival: The season, stretching traditionally from Jan. 6 (Twelfth Night) to Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). All parades, balls and other events during this period are Carnival events. Technically, only events on Fat Tuesday itself are Mardi Gras events. The term carnival means "removal of the flesh," the flesh in this case being the meat that is forsaken for Lent.
Carnival Day: Same as Mardi Gras, the last day of Carnival.
Colors of Carnival: Purple, green and gold. Courir Du Mardi Gras: The Mardi Gras run, a Cajun celebration of Mardi Gras in which masked, costumed men ride horses from house to house around the countryside, asking for chickens, rice, sausage and other ingredients for a gumbo. Afterward, there is dancing and the gumbo. Some south Louisiana towns that hold a courir du Mardi Gras are Mamou, Eunice, Lafayette and Iota.
Court: The king, queen, maids, dukes and other mock royalty of a Carnival organization.
Den: A large warehouse where Carnival floats are built and stored.
Doubloons: Silver-dollar sized commemorative aluminum coins minted for and given out by Carnival organizations. Rex threw the first one from a float in 1960. (Earlier such medals were heavier and awarded as ball favors.)
Flag of Rex: Stripes of purple, green and gold with a crown on the center strip. Former kings and queens of Rex are the only ones entitled to fly this flag in front of their homes during the season. It is also the flag of Carnival.
Flambeaux: The burning torches - usually kerosene containers mounted on wooden poles - carried in some night parades. Flambeaux carriers are known for their uninhibited prancing and twirling. At one time, torches or lanterns were carried by marchers beside all floats to illuminate them. Now all floats carry their own lights, and the flambeaux carriers are attractions within themselves. For more, see our profile of this endangered tradition.
Floats: Any decorated, movable platform for carrying Carnival maskers. In some cases, particularly among newer, less affluent or smaller krewes, floats are used in more than one parade.
"If Ever I Cease to Love":
The song of the Carnival season. It dates back to 1872, when the Grand Duke Alexis of Russian visited New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The newly formed Rex organization learned the Grand Duke had fallen in love with singer Lydia Thompson when he saw her in a burlesque show called "Bluebeard." So the group set "If Ever I Cease To Love" from the show to march time and it has been the song of the season ever since even though it has absolutely nothing to do with Carnival. Click on the sound button to hear part of A.J. Loria's performance.
King Cake: A sweetroll-like cake made in a ring. It contains a plastic doll, and the person who finds the doll in his or her piece of cake must provide the king cake on the next occasion.
Krewe: A term applied to most organizations participating in Carnival. The following parading organizations are NOT called krewes: Rex, Bacchus, Knights of Babylon, Knights of King Arthur, Corps de Napoleon, Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club.
Ladders: Common stepladders with seats bolted to the top used so children can get a better view of a parade and provide better targets for throws.
Lundi Gras: French for "Fat Monday," the day before Mardi Gras. Zulu and Rex both arrive officially in the city on Lundi Gras, and now a downtown street festival has become a highlight of the day.
Mardi Gras: Fat Tuesday. The Carnival celebration ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday. Do NOT call it the Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras Indians: African-American marching groups that parade on Mardi Gras (and again on St. Joseph's Night) in elaborate feathered costumes. The Wild Magnolias and the Golden Eagles are among the best known.
Marching Clubs: Bands of costumed merrymakers who parade along St. Charles Avenue and other streets early on Mardi Gras morning, before the big krewes hit the streets. They are usually accompanied by a jazz band. Among the best known are Pete Fountain's Half-Fast Marching Club, the Jefferson City Buzzards, the Garden District Carnival Club and the Lyons Carnival Club.
Maskers: A term referring to both the float riders, who normally are masked, and those who costume for Mardi Gras.
Parade: A procession of floats, marching bands, dance groups, costumed characters, flambeaux carriers and the like, that winds through the city on a prescribed route in the few weeks before Mardi Gras. More than 70 parades are held during the Carnival season in a four-parish area around New Orleans. The best-known parades include Bacchus, Endymion, Orpheus, Zulu and Rex. Pro Bono Publico:: The Latin motto of Rex, meaning "for the good of the public."
Rex: Referred to only as "Rex," or as "Rex, king of Carnival," never as the redundant "King Rex" or "King of Rex." He toasts his queen at the Hotel Inter-Continental on St. Charles Avenue. The parading organization known as Rex is formally the School of Design.
Tableau: A "still-life" depiction of a scene by costumed krewe members, presented at a Carnival ball before the dancing begins. It is based on the theme of the ball. The plural is tableaux.
Throws:Trinkets pitched from a parade float. They include doubloons, beads, cups and plastic toys.
"Throw me something, Mister"The traditional cry of parade-goers pleading for throws.
Traditional Route: A standard route for night parades that begins at Napoleon Avenue, goes down St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street and ends at the Ernest Morial Convention Center.
Truck Parades:Mardi Gras parades made up entirely of decorated, truck-drawn flatbed trailers. There are two in New Orleans: the Elks Krewe of Orleanians and Crescent City, which follow Rex. There also are two in Metairie, which follow Argus, and others in Gretna, Covington and St. Bernard Parish. Truck parades roll only on Mardi Gras.
Zulu:New Orleans' first and best-known African-American Carnival organization, formally known as the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. The club was founded in 1909 by African-Americans excluded from the city's mainline Carnival krewes, which were often lampooned in Zulu's satirical antics. Zulu began to parade in 1916, featuring characters such as King Zulu, Big Shot and the Witch Doctor who are city favorites to this day. While Rex rules Carnival with a golden scepter and jeweled crown, King Zulu carries a banana stalk and wears a lard can on his head. And did we mention that all of the krewe's maskers - now including men and women of all races - wear black face and Afro wigs to turn the tables on racial stereotypes? The prize of the Zulu parade is a painted coconut; they used to be thrown from the floats but are now handed out because of high liability insurance costs due to the risk of injury to spectators.
MARDI GRAS INDIANS
Tradition and History
"Mardi Gras Indians are secretive because only certain people participated in masking -- people with questionable character. In the old day, the Indians were violent; Indians would meet on Mardi Gras, it was a day to settle scores." - Larry Bannock, President,
New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council
Mardi Gras is full of secrets and the Mardi Gras Indians are as much a part of that secret society as any other carnival organization. The Mardi Gras Indians are comprised, in large part, of the blacks of New Orleans' inner cities. They have paraded for well over a century...yet their parade is perhaps the least recognized Mardi Gras tradition.
"Mardi Gras Indians--the parade most white people don't see. The ceremonial procession is loose, the parade is not scheduled for a particular time or route...that is up to the Big Chief." - Larry Bannock
Typical Mardi Gras organizations will form a "krewe." A krewe often names their parade after a particular mythological hero or Greek god. The ranking structure of a Mardi Gras Krewe is a parody of royalty: King, Queen, Dukes, Knights and Captains...or some variation on that theme. Many more established Krewes allowed membership by invitation only.
Few in the ghetto felt they could ever participate in the typical New Orleans parade. Historically, slavery and racism were at the root of this cultural separation. The black neighborhoods in New Orleans gradually developed their own style of celebrating Mardi Gras. Their "Krewes" are named for imaginary Indian tribes according to the streets of their ward or gang.
The Mardi Gras Indians named themselves after native Indians to pay them respect for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery. It was often local Indians who accepted slaves into their society when they made a break for freedom. They have never forgotten this support.
In the past, Mardi Gras was a violent day for many Mardi Gras Indians. It was a day often used to settle scores. The police were often unable to intervene due to the general confusion surrounding Mardi Gras events in the city...where the streets were crowded and everyone was masked. This kept many families away from the "parade," and created much worry and concern for a mother whose child wanted to join the "Indians."
"'I'm gonna mask that morning if it costs me my life!' That morning you pray and ask God to watch over you, cause everybody is bucking for number one." - Larry Bannock
Today when two Mardi Gras Indian tribes pass one another, you will see a living theater of art and culture. Each tribe's style and dress is on display...in a friendly but competitive manner, they compare one another's art and craftsmanship.
The greeting of the Big Chiefs of two different tribes often starts with a song, chant, ceremonial dance, and threatening challenge to "Humba"--the Big Chief's demand that the other bow and pay respect. The retort is a whoop and equally impressive song and war dance with the reply, "Me no Humba, YOU Humba!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You know when you've won, you see it in their eyes." - Larry Bannock
Although there was a history of violence, many now choose to keep this celebration friendly. Each Big Chief will eventually stand back and, with a theatrical display of self-confidence, acknowledge the artistry and craftsmanship of the other's suit.
Before the progression can continue, the two Big Chiefs will often comment privately to one another, "Looking good Baby, looking good!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mardi Gras is no longer a day to "settle scores" among the Mardi Gras Indians. Violence is a relic of the past. It is now Mardi Gras tradition and practice for the Indians to simply compare their tribal song, dance and dress with other tribes as they meet that day. Each Indian has invested thousands of hours and dollars in the creation of his suit, and is not willing to risk ruining it in a fight. This tradition, rich with folk art and history, is now appreciated by museums and historical societies around the world. It is a remarkable and welcome change from the past.
The history and culture of the Mardi Gras Indians is a significant part of Mardi Gras and New Orleans -- yet until now, it has been the least appreciated and least understood. We hope you enjoy reading about it as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you! We thank the Mardi Gras Indian Council for opening their history books, and sharing their history and traditions with us!
The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council was formed in 1987 to help preserve and enrich the Indian Culture. In August of 1992, the Big Chiefs of each of the major tribes gathered together for a historic celebration of unity. The event, christened "Glad Yu Kum", was commemorated with a fine art painting by New Orleans artist Mark Andresen. Planet Publishing created the limited edition lithographic poster seen above directly from the original piece. One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales goes directly to the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council to maintain and preserve this unique culture.
New Orleans website
Mardi Gras.com
Mardi Gras.com
Mardi Gras info
Mardi Gras Monroe La 2008
A little Mardi Gras Trivia
Mardi Gras is one of the exceptions to the Louisiana law against wearing hoods and masks in public, the other two being Halloween and religious beliefs
When you're ready for the big experience, you'll need to know when it will be! You'll find the big day can fall on any Tuesday between February 3 and March 9. Carnival celebration starts on January 6, the Twelfth Night (feast of Epiphany); and picks up speed until Midnight on Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday.
How will you know which Tuesday it will be? Ash Wednesday is always 40 days before Easter (not including Sundays) and Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday. Easter can fall on any Sunday from March 23 to April 25 with the exact date to coincide with the first Sunday after the full moon following a Spring Equinox! There you have it! Voila!
If you're still confused, get out that calendar with the printed holidays on it--it's the day before Ash Wednesday!
Upcoming Mardi Gras Dates:
2008 February 5 2015 February 17
2009 February 24 2016 February 9
2010 February 16 2017 February 28
2011 March 8 2018 February 13
2012 February 21 2019 March 5
2013 February 12 2020 February 25
2014 March 4 2021 February 16
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer Mon Oct 31, 4:54 AM ET
NEW ORLEANS - The last time Don Glossop saw his customers they were ritually burning green candles, hoping voodoo would pierce the federal bureaucracy and hasten the arrival of desperately needed relief checks. Glossop's shop, New Orleans Mistic, has been closed since Hurricane Katrina swamped the city two months ago, and most of his clients, who practice a local variant of voodoo, have scattered across the country.
He fears that Katrina, which laid waste to entire neighborhoods and claimed hundreds of lives here, may take another casualty: New Orleans' status as the country's voodoo capital.
"As of today I would say it's pretty dead," Glossop said. "Even the tourist shops are in jeopardy. There is a chance for a huge loss here."
Voodoo has long been entrenched in New Orleans, quietly practiced in homes with altars, candles and incense to solve problems of the heart and wallet. Before the storm tore through, about 15 percent of the city's population actively practiced, according to Lisa Fannon, a tour guide, though estimates vary widely.
Voodoo is part of the vernacular here, showing up in jazz and conversation. Some residents still sprinkle red brick dust on their doorway steps to ward off evil spirits.
It's an economic draw as well, enticing curious tourists and their pocketbooks into stores such as Glossop's.
While plans are still on for an annual voodoo fest for Monday, organizer Brandi Kelley said the event will be much smaller this year because many drummers and dancers were forced to relocate.
The ceremony at her shop will focus mainly on healing the city.
"We have got to call on the ancestors for help and get real serious about it," Kelley said. "The spirit is in the city. It's the spirit of this city that is going to rise from the ashes."
If only she could find her snake for the closing ceremony. He was supposed to be in a bathtub of a friend's apartment.
"They say he's somewhere in this room full of debris," Kelley said, her voice trailing off.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The "go away" hurricane ritual was performed in July, just as it always is at the start of the hurricane season.
"It didn't quite work out so well," acknowledged Giselle Moller, manager of Marie Laveau House of Voodoo. But, she said, it may have helped a bit.
"Imagine if the hurricane would have hit us straight on. There would have been no French Quarter," she said.
Even before Katrina, some thought voodoo was fading in New Orleans because the younger generation was less interested in the complicated practice, which involves substantial memorization of rituals and songs, Glossop said.
But New Orleans is not giving up on voodoo, notwithstanding evangelist Franklin Graham's recent comments that the city's Mardi Gras revelry and ties to voodoo were adverse to Christian beliefs.
Defenders say voodoo is a legitimate African-based religion that has been unfairly maligned in movies and popular culture.
"Voodoo is not some kind of black magic cult," said Wade Davis, a Washington-based
National Geographic explorer-in-residence who has studied the religion extensively in Haiti. "It's the distillation of very profound religious ideas that came over during the tragic era of slavery."
In New Orleans, much of what is practiced these days is a system of folk magic. Some also practice Haitian voodoo.
As the city revives, proponents hope voodoo will make a comeback, too, because it's part of the intrigue that draws visitors.
"I think it's going to be a very strong part of what will get people back here," said Jameson King, who works in one of the voodoo shops in the French Quarter. "We're here for more than drinking."
Tourists Welcome!
Louisiana Hayride, known as "Cradle of the Stars
The world reknown Louisiana Hayride, known as "Cradle of the Stars", first hit the KWKH airwaves on April 3, 1948. The line up for that inaugural broadcast included: the Bailes Brothers, Johnnie and Jack and the Tennessee Mountain Boys with Kitty Wells, the Four Deacons, Curley Kinsley, the Tennessee Ridge Runners, Harrie Smith, the Ozark Mountaineers, the Mercy Brothers and Texas and the Texas Playboys. Horace Logan was the shows original Producer and emcee and the program was broadcast from the Municipal Auditorium in dowtown Shreveport, LA. Inspired by and modeled on such seminal "barn dance" radio programs as the famed Grand Ole Opry from Nashville and the WLS Barn Dance out of Chicago, the Hayride evolved into a true phenomenen. From it's earliest days, the Hayride featured performances by a string of legendary artists such as Hank Williams (who first appeared in August of 1948), Johnny Cash, The Willburn Brothers, Webb Pierce, Jim Reeves, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Nat Stuckey, Maggie Lewis, Claude King, Merle Kilgore, David Houston, Maddox Brothers and Rose and even the King himself, Elvis Pressley (first appearing on October 14,1954.
During it's heydey the Hayride was broadcast nationwide and, for a time, was even heard overseas on Armed Forces Radio With the market increasingly chipped away at by the combined effects of television's growing influence and the boom of rock and roll, The Louisiana Hayride's popularity began to erode in the 60's and went first from a weekly show to monthly and finally to a quarterly broadcast before ending it's initial run in 1969. Revived from 1973 until 1987, and again in 1987, the Louisiana Hayride remains a historic institution and testament to the rich musical heritage of the area
Plans are currently underway, thanks to Maggie Warwick and the F.A.M.E Foundation, to not only revitalize the Municipal Auditorium and surrounding area but also to resurrect the Hayride to continue its tradition of nurturing and giving voice to local and regional talent.
The Louisiana Hayride Contact Information
The Shreveport Louisiana Hayride Company, LLC
509 Market St Suite 608
Shreveport, LA 71101
Phone: (318) 227-9110
Email;info@louisianahayride.com
Louisiana Hayride
Home Monroe,Louisiana
Our new tshirt slogans
You Know You're From Louisiana When...
The crawdad mounds in your front yard have over taken the grass.
You greet people with "Howzyamomma'an'dem?"
and hear back "Dey fine!"
Every so often, you have waterfront property.
When giving directions you use words like "uptown,"
"downtown," "backatown," "riverside," "lakeside,"
"other side of the bayou" or "other side of the levee."
When you refer to a geographical location "way up North,
"you are referring to places like
Shreveport, Little Rock or Memphis,
"where it gets real cold.
"You've ever had Community Coffee.
You can pronounce Tchoupitoulas but can't spell it.
You don't worry when you see ships riding higher in the river than the top of your house.
You judge a po-boy by the number of napkins used.
The waitress at your local sandwich shop tells you a fried oyster po-boy "dressed"
is healthier than a Caesar salad.
You can eat Popeye's, Haydel's and Zapp's for lunch
and wash it down with Barq's and several Abitas,
without losing it all on your stoop.
The four seasons in your year are:
crawfish, shrimp, crab, and King Cake.
You "wrench" your hands in the sink with an onion
bar to get the crawfish smell off.
You don't learn until high school that Mardi Gras is not a national holiday.
You believe that purple, green and gold look good together.
Your last name isn't pronounced the way it's spelled.
You know what a nutria rat is but you still pick it to represent your baseball team.
You have spent a summer afternoon on the Lake Pontchartrain seawall catching blue crabs.
You describe a color as "K & B Purple."
You like your rice and politics dirty.
You pronounce the largest city in the state as "Nawlins.
" You know those big roaches can fly,
but you're able to sleep at night anyway.
You assume everyone has mosquito swarms in their backyard.
You realize the rainforest is less humid than Louisiana.
You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron...
You discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window...
When out of town, you stop and a ask someone where there is a drive-through Daiquiri place,
and they look at you like you have three heads. You have flood insurance.
Your burial plot is six feet over rather than six feet under.
You consider a Bloody Mary a light breakfast.
You push little old ladies out of the way to catch Mardi Gras throws.
You leave a parade with footprints on the top of your hands.
You have a parade ladder in your shed.
Your first sentence was "Throw me something mistah"
and your first drink was from a go-cup. You worry about a deceased family member returning in spring floods.
You reply to anything and everything about life here with "Only in Nahlins".
You have a monogrammed go-cup.
You get on a bus marked "Cemeteries" and don't think twice.
You shake out your shoes before putting them on.
Your sunglasses fog up when you step outside.
No matter where else you go in the world, you are always disappointed in the food.
You get up in the morning and start cooking a pot of rice ,
before you give any thought to what you'll fix for dinner
. You ask, "How dey running?" and "Are dey fat?"
when you're inquiring about seafood quality.
When a hurricane is imminent When it starts to rain,
you cover your beer instead of your head.
You call tomato sauce "red gravy.
" You eat sno-balls instead of throwing them. Your house payment is less than your air conditioning bill
. Your grandparents are called " Maw Maw" and "Paw Paw.
" You fall asleep to the soothing sounds of four box fans.
No one eats healthy.
Fried Batter is actually a menu item in some restaurants.
You actually get these jokes and pass them on to
other friends from Louisiana.
Welcome To Louisiana
Louisiana Friends
OTHER FRIENDS: Never ask for food
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.
OTHER FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.
OTHER FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail
and tell you what you did was wrong.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you saying,
Damn...we messed up...but that was fun!"
OTHER FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Cry with you.
OTHER FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
OTHER FRIENDS: know a few things about you.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
OTHER FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Will whup the whole crowd that left you.
OTHER FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"
OTHER FRIENDS: Are for a while.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Are for life.
OTHER FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say,
" you better drink the rest of that, you know we don't waste!!"
OTHER FRIENDS: Will talk smack to the person who talks smack about you.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Will lay the smack down on them
OTHER FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
LOUISIANA FRIENDS: Will repost this
Louisiana
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