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The History of King Cakes In New
Orleans revelry and religious tradition are the ties that bind during
Mardi Gras. Thus, it’s not surprising that the origin of the modern
King Cake can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when popular devotion
during Christmas turned to the Three Wise Men, or Kings, who had
followed a star and paid homage to Christ. Epiphany, the end of the
Christmas celebration and the 12th night after the birth of
Christ, came to be known as “Twelfth Night”, a time for pageants and
giving special “King” presents to children. Today in New Orleans,
the King Cake is an oval-shaped braided coffee cake which is decorated
with cinnamon sugar in the official Mardi Gras colors – gold (for
power), green (faith), and purple (justice) – and contains a tiny
plastic baby that has replaced the coin used in medieval times. The
person that gets the slice of cake with the baby in it must host the
next party; at some parties, they are crowned king or queen. The cake,
a gift shared by family, friends and revelers alike, is eaten between
the Twelfth Night and Fat Tuesday, the beginning of Lent. However, the
cake often begins appearing during Christmas. The History of Mardi Gras The
celebration of Mardi Gras came to North America from France where it
had been celebrated since the Middle Ages. In 1699, French explorer
Iberville and his men explored the Mississippi River from the Gulf of
Mexico. On a spot 60 miles south of the present location of New
Orleans, they set up camp on the river’s West Bank. Knowing that the
day, March 3, was being celebrated as a major holiday in Paris, they
christened the site Point du Mardi Gras. In the early 19th
Century, the public celebration of Mardi Gras consisted mainly of
maskers on foot, in carriages and on horseback. In 1837, a costumed
group of revelers walked in the first documented “parade”, but the
violent behavior of maskers during the next two decades caused the
press to call for an end to Mardi Gras. Fortunately, six New Orleanians
who were former members of the Cowbellians, a group that presented New
Years Eve parades in Mobile, Al, saved the New Orleans Mardi Gras by
forming the Comus organization in 1857. The men beautified the
celebration and proved that it could be enjoyed in a safe manner. Comus
coined the word “Krewe” and established several Mardi Gras traditions
by forming a secret Carnival society, choosing a mythological namesake,
presenting a themed parade with floats and costumed maskers, and
staging a tableau ball following its parade. Carnival’s growth
has continued throughout the years with the birth and death of many
parading Krewes. More than one dozen clubs have featured celebrities in
their parades. Doubloons lost some of their luster as several Krewes
stopped minting them. Krewe-emblemed throws of every imaginable variety
gained popularity, however, with imprinted cups leading the pack.
Perhaps the greatest change in Mardi Gras has been the tremendous
increase in tourism during the Carnival season. Conventions which once
had avoided New Orleans at Mardi Gras, used the celebration as a reason
to assemble here. International media attention in focused on Mardi
Gras, with camera crews from Japan, Europe and Latin America showcasing
the festivities. Mardi Gras has become a year-round industry as more
off season conventions experienced the joys of Carnival when they were
treated to mini-parades and repeat balls held in the city’s convention
facilities.
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