Mardi Gras :: essays research papers

The smell of stale beer in the air, deafening music everywhere, large number shouting and laughing having a good ole magazine is what carnival, better known as Mashumani is like in Guyana. When its Mardi Gras in New siege of Orleans, however, broken beads and trash are all everyplace the ground, and everywhere one looks he/she sees close toone taking off some type of clothing for some beads. Unlike in New Orleans people in Guyana know how to have fun with out taking off their clothes.I am a native of Guyana, South America, and this is my showtime time observing Mardi Gras in person. I had heard of the things people do for the objects and trinkets that the masked riders throw off the floats, which is a major aspect that distinguishes Mardi Gras in New Orleans from carnival in Guyana. Guyanese people do not take off their clothes for a string of pearl, or a coconut. Carnival in Guyana is a one-day event, celebrating Guyanas independence from the British. On this day people dress in bright dark costumes and jump in the street. I remember the first time I went to the carnival. I was about seven years old when my mom took the whole family to assimilate the parades. I saw the brightly colored costumes, as well as everyones body and face covered with glitter. I heard the pleasant sounds of the steelband playing and people everywhere dancing in the street. The smell of labor was in the air as everyone bunched up together to see the floats in all their brilliant glory. I can also recall the render of sweet syrup as I licked it off the snowcone I was eating. Mardi Gras in New Orleans, however, was a whole new experience for me. On Fat Tuesday I woke up early so I could go to Canal and St Charles Street to watch the parades. The smell of trash filled the air. Thousands of people everywhere. Broken beads, empty beer cups, and cans littered the ground. Some people had many coloured beads around their necks. People were laughing and dancing to the beats of the aim bands as they passed along. When the floats got into view, I heard women saying, throw me something mister, and I saw them lifting up their shirts and showing their breasts for pearls, beads, a coconut, or a spear. I couldnt call back my eyes when I witnessed women and even men showing their goods for some colorful beads.