Unit 9 Sociology

Unit 9 Final Project

Tiana White

SS144-01 Introduction to Sociology

February 9, 2015

In 2013 a friend of mine and I attended Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday” (Hartman & Frantz, 2015”). Traditionally, it is the last day for Catholics to indulge—and often overindulge—before Ash Wednesday starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent. Mardi Gras is celebrated all over the world however, Louisiana is one of only 3 states in the United States that recognizes it. This was my first time attending Mardi Gras and in order to get the full experience we decided to stay for 4 days. Before I left for this event I had no clue what it was about, just that it was a very large parade that people traveled from different states to go to each year. Based off of the very little I knew and what I had heard about it, when I arrived I was not very surprised by what I saw. I knew several people who had attended before and they were all a little different. Mardi Gras was an aggregate of individuals; people from all walks of life were present. Even though this was true, the majority of people on the streets were between the ages of 21-30, drunk, and looking to have a good time.

The non-material components of Mardi Gras start with the history of it. The background of Mardi Gras includes a religious background, which many people myself did not know. Formally known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras has long been a time of extravagant fun for European Christians. In fact, some people think Mardi Gras celebrations have their source in the wild springtime orgies of the ancient Romans (Hartman & Frantz, 2015). Fasting is an aspect of many religions, including Christianity. One of the foods that is associated with Mardi Gras is King Cake. Available only during the Mardi Gras season, king cake is typically made with brioche dough. Braided and laced with cinnamon, the dough is then glazed with purple, green and gold sugar or covered...