This Southern City Is The REAL Home of Mardi Gras

And it’s not New Orleans. Nope, not at all.

 

I get in an argument with someone each year when they say New Orleans is the home of Mardi Gras. Yes they may host one of the most racous events going by the Mardi Gras name, but it’s not where Mardi Gras was started.

 

That honor belongs to Mobile, Alabama- where my father was born, where his mother was born, and where my family has been a part of the Mardi Gras traditions going back to when they first landed in the port city prior to the Civil War.

 

My grandmother, Maria Inge Ryne, recently told me what it was like growing up in Mobile with Mardi Gras. “The parades would go down the streets, and our house was on Government Street. My daddy was an OOM, a member of the Order of the Myths, and so their float would come by our house.”

 

 

“People on the floats would throw beads and doubloons, and I remember as a little girl people diving after the doubloons but sometimes they would land near me and I would just put my feet over them and not move!”

 

Mardi Gras today is still very much a family friendly event when it comes to the parades, unlike some of the uncouth rowdiness of another still lovely Southern town which I will not name here.

 

Some of the most fun about Mardi Gras are all the secret societies and their balls. But when exactly did these exclusive Southern societies pop up? According to the Mobile Mask, it goes back to the year 1831- because of course many good Southern stories pre-date the Civil War- when a young man named Michael Krafft was invited to join dinner with a boat captain.

 

After his dinner, according to the Mobile Mask’s retelling of an account by Charles Kennerly, Krafft would stumble upon a hardware store, dislodged a rake and cowbells, stumbled along downtown Mobile until a crowd gathered around him on Royal Street and someone asked what in the Sam Hell he was doing?!

 

Ok, that last little part was embellished by me, but it would not surprised me if those were the exact words used.

 

Needless to say, Krafft was asked what he was up to and we can only assume that his response was aided by several glasses of Southern bourbon or the like when he said: “This is the Cowbellion de Rakin Society”. The Mask says that while there are several versions of the story it’s likely true that Kennerly’s retelling is accurate given that he was one of the original Cowbellions.

 

Given that newspapers were the Facebook of their day, they published the account and people speculated as to if the Cowbellions would show up on New Year’s Day. Well, show up they did. And continued to.

“The Cowbellions grew into the country’s first mystic society, a secret and exclusive group that existed solely for the purpose of parading and throwing elaborate parties. The Cowbellions begat the Strikers, a group of younger men who, apparently, could not earn admission into the Cowbellions. A third group, known only as T.D.S. (though folks sarcastically referred to them as the Tea Drinkers Society), formed, and its original members included a young man named Joseph Stillwell Cain,” from the Mobile Mask.

 

I feel I should note, as some source of pride, that the Order of the Myths were one of the earliest secret societies formed- and the oldest still holding a parade.

 

But did you notice I mentioned Joseph Cain? He’s a key figure as well. He is credited with bringing Mardi Gras back after it fell by the wayside during the Civil War.

 

Cain would disguise himself as “Chief Slackabamirimico”, perhaps a leftover costume as is speculated in the Mask from a previous parade theme, and parade himself through the streets of Mobile with a wagon and a set of “lost minstrels” behind him. This year is special because it is the 150th anniversary of when Joe Cain made his first ride. In fact, he was given his own day in the year 1967 to celebrate his value to Mobile.

 

The website, Mobile Mask, has some very helpful information regarding the parade. For instance, did you know that Moon Pies are thrown from the floats? According to the Mask it’s because people on the floats used to throw Cracker Jack boxes- until the city banned them because people got hurt. Then someone somewhere got the bright idea to use Moon Pies- they’re soft and better yet, they’re Southern made.

 

There are a large number of parades and floats. So much so that they must be divided up among multiple days. I’ll focus on one, the one that I know my family has direct ties to: the Order of the Myths.

 

I’ve wondered why the parades for each group are on different days, but thankfully the Mobile Mask has a link on each group and a video for some as well. It’s upon watching the video and seeing, at least for the OOM’s, that they have multiple floats that I now understand why there are so many different parade dates:

 

The OOMs always start their parades with Folly chasing Death around a column with a chain tied around it. And then they commence with floats to match their theme that year.

 

I’m also lucky that a fellow Maconite, Reese McQueen McCurry, has roots in Mobile as well. As she would tell me, her father and grandfather were members of the Infant Mystics- the society founded just after the one my ancestors were a part of. Unlike me, she participated in the balls herself.

“In Mobile, each mystic (secret) organization has its own ball. Everyone dresses in full white tie attire: women in long evening gowns and men in tails. If the organization is a parading one, the members stay in their parading costumes for most of the ball. Most balls begin with some sort of tableau, or presentation, that follows a specific theme for the year. This theme is planned by the man or woman who ‘leads’ the ball that year. The leading ladies of women’s organizations are often someone who is a member of that organization. The leading ladies of men’s organizations are often a debutante, the debutante aged daughter of one of the members, or one of the wives of the members. It sort of depends on each organization. The oldest and more traditional organizations have a deb or daughter as the leading lady. After the tableau and the presentation of the leading lady, the Mardi Gras court (see more below) are presented at some of the balls. Following that, the bands crank up. Some balls have several bands of different genres in different rooms. Some have a single band that plays in the main room. It is basically a big party. Some balls have open bars and some are cash, but bars are everywhere! It’s a lot of fun and frivolity!”

 

 

“The decorations for the ball tend be big and over the top–flowers, feathers, large flower containers, props, etc–and gorgeous.”

 

 

Resse would go on to explain more. “Unlike New Orleans, which has a king, queen and court for each of it’s biggest and most prestigious krewes, Mobile has two Mardi Gras courts that ‘rule over’ the Carnival season. One court is traditionally white and one is traditionally black, which in 2016 seems a bit weird. However, the 2 courts and their accompanying associations (Mobile Carnival Association and Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association) have started supporting one another and attending each other’s events so that there is not as much separation between the two. Both seem to want to keep their own tradition while acknowledging, appreciating and participating in the traditions of the other. Both associations hold a coronation ceremony for their queen each year. MCA’s King is always called King Felix III and MAMGA’s is called King Elexis I. The queen and the ladies of the court for MCA are college senior aged debutante; each pick a guy to serve as her knight in the court.”

 

“Will, my huband, and I were a part of the court in 2004. For MAMGA, women are selected as ladies of the court, but I believe they are both college aged and young working women.”

 

“At the coronation, the king and queen both wear beautiful trains and gowns and outfits. Most often, these are custom made and have been worked on for months! The members of the court are presented and then the queen is crowned by the king. There is often a dinner or party afterwards,” Reese said.

 

 

 

There are so many cool things about Mobile. My grandmother told me to be sure to learn more about the Excelsior Band. I’m told there’s all kinds of great shopping and food. Perhaps this is where Girl Meets City will head again soon?

 

Needless to say, if you didn’t know where Mardi Gras was started, consider yourself informed and corrected. If you want to experience Southern royalty at it’s finest, look no further than the grand, old city of Mobile, Alabama. And be sure to enjoy some Moon Pies while you’re there.

 

Love to all y’all,

 

Molly