Cajun Mardi Gras explained: Wilson Savoy on the costumes, music, masks
In an email Q&A, Savoy explains the Cajun Mardi Gras gathering:
We usually have about 300 runners who show up on Mardi Gras . A handful show up and leave before we even start because they didn't know they had to dress up in costumes. This is depicted in the "Treme" episode of our Mardi Gras run. Everyone has to have a costume and take part, either playing music or chasing chickens. If they don't, they will usually end up being thrown in a ditch by one of the co-capitains.
What are the roots of the celebration as you understand it?
Mardi Gras, to us, is the last day to party and have fun drinking and indulging in whatever you plan on giving up for Lent. Most people, starting Ash Wednesday (the day after Mardi Gras) give up alcohol or cigarettes or whatever they love to do. We pay homage to the traditions of our ancestors, since they were running Mardi Gras 60 years ago just like we are now. The runners go from house to house and ask permission to enter the yard of the home owner. They dance and entertain the owners and in exchange they ask for anything to contribute to the run, usually ingredients to make a gumbo at the end of the day (rice, chickens, sausage, flour, etc). While New Orleans Mardi Gras is a giant parade, Cajun Mardi Gras was always meant to be small, each little rural area having their own "run," consisting of a small acoustic band and a handful of runners. Today's Mardi Gras runs range from very small runs like Tee Mamou (one small band and about 30 runners) to Eunice with over 5,000 runners. The bigger the Mardi Gras becomes, the more the traditions get watered down and forgotten about. That was the whole reason that my brother, Joel, along with friends, started this Mardi Gras run.
What's up with the costumes?
Everyone wears a mask to conceal their identity, so they can have fun without worrying if everyone recognizes them. The rest of the attire is simply traditional, and I'm not sure where it comes from (the pointed hats, the colorful garments).
I like that it depicts what I understand to be the traditional hierarchy of the event, with a captain explaining the task to the group. I've seen that same scene in documentaries. Is that typical?
The capitain's job is to make sure no one is breaking the rules of the Mardi Gras run. He establishes his authority at the beginning so people respect the capitain during the run. There have been times during some Mardi Gras runs (not ours, but other runs nearby) when the capitain had to kick people off the run who were misbehaving.
Fun Masks For Kids - News

Everyone wears a mask to conceal their identity, so they can have fun without worrying if everyone recognizes them. The rest of the attire is simply traditional, and I'm not sure where it comes from (the pointed hats, the colorful garments).

This two-month old activity centre has so far organised three short term workshops for children between the ages of six and 12. The workshop deals with activities like story painting, dream board, finger friends, enacting forgiveness, 3D mural, mask

He was under a mask with fellow Hamiltonian Vic Rossitani as the Hangmen, complete with a hangman's noose hanging on the side of the ring. "As the Hangmen, they had a lot of heat, but of course, you wouldn't know who they were.
By Jessica Goodman Maralyn Yaple's grandchildren had full masks of paint on their faces and balloon animals in their hands at the 10th Celebrate Flat Rock event held Saturday at Flat Rock Village Hall. Emma, 6, liked the face painting best and was

They make their own soju here - Andong-style, at 45 per cent proof, twice as strong as regular soju - and are experts at crafting wooden totem poles and masks with vivid, flamboyant facial expressions. Several times a week, villagers don these masks
Rainy Day Activities For Children – Making Funny Masks | The ...
It’s a Saturday, a schools have been sealed as well as your kids have been home as well as superfluous with childish energy . On a normal comfortable as well as balmy day your kids would be outward roving their bikes as well as personification with their friends , though how do we keep them entertained when it’s raining as well as miserable outside? There have been multiform smashing as well as fun activities for immature kids to do upon stormy days, as well as this beam is about a single of my favorites: creation droll masks.
Making droll masks is an beguiling as well as enchanting charge for immature kids, permitting them to operate as well as demonstrate their creativity . And when a masks have been completed, there have been unconstrained hours of hypothetical adventures to be had!
Begin by entertainment all a materials indispensable by a kids to have their droll masks. Some good materials to pick up have been various crayons or colored markers, glitter, glue, colored siren cleaners or confetti, a little qualification feathers as well as tiny buttons or pieces of sweets (which have been good for snacking upon too!). You will additionally need a objects to offer as vacant masks, for which paper plates work great.
Once we have picked up all a materials, set them out somewhere all a kids can simply get to them such as a list or upon a floor. With a really immature kids, assistance them with tasks which need regulating scissors (such as when slicing out eye holes to see through). To hitch a facade we can operate prolonged as well as skinny slips of paper to offer as a rope jacket around a behind of your child’s head. Another choice would be to glue or fasten purify Popsicle sticks to a bottom of a masks so they can be simply hold up to a face.
After you’ve helped your kids get started, concede them to pattern their masks however they’d like. This sort of wake up can simply lead to a disorderly workplace, so cover your list or building with a cosmetic piece to enclose a mess.
You can have Mardi Gras masks, Halloween masks, skulls, ghosts or even a American- Indian dance masks. You can only go furious with your creativity, only chuck paint or glue upon a facade as well as afterwards hang anything from pieces of colored paper to aged photos or whatever we can lay your hands on. They have been all fun to have as well as some-more fun to fool around with.
If necessary, enthuse your kids with ideas of droll masks they can create, as well as cruise formulating a facade of your own – they’ll suffer a association as most as we will!
Fun Masks For Kids - Bookshelf
Making Origami Masks Step by Step
After kids learn the basic art of folding masks with this book, they will have fun experimenting and designing their own original mask creations.Super Simple Masks, Fun and Easy-to-Make Crafts for Kids
Contains directions to make masks ranging from paper plate pandas and lions to fly goggles and foam alien heads.101 drama games for children, fun and learning with acting and make-believe
It is also safer to move slowly, particularly if you are wearing a full-face mask. You can buy masks at party shops, but it is much more fun to make your ...Super Masks and Fun Face Painting
Farm Animals Punch-Out Masks
These colorful masks let children masquerade as a rooster, goat, duck, donkey, cow, and horse.Casual Walkthroughs Directory
Masks for Kids
Whether it's for school or for fun at home, kids love making masks! Free downloads of animal masks, bug faces and more that kids can print and make.
Masks Crafts for kids: Ideas for Mask Making Arts & Crafts ...
Masks Crafts for kids: Ideas for Mask Making Arts & Crafts Activities & Projects for Children, Teens, & Preschoolers
PreSchool Crafts – Mask Fun for Kids! | Toddler Craft
Kids Love to make and wear masks. This is a very simple and inexpensive craft for preschoolers and Kindergarteners. Supplies: Paper plate Magic
Printable Masks For Kids
free printable kids masks
Kids Crafts Supplies: Masks
Kids craft kits for children's craft parties and craft activities. A creative and fun birthday party idea. Kids love to create things. Kidz Craft have an excellent ...