Mardi Gras…Carnival…It’s All Fat Tuesday To Me! Americans celebrate Fat Tuesday much like the melting pot we are

By Victor Meier

Mardi Gras or Carnival (depending on your location) are festivals of exuberance and indulgence celebrated before a period of reflection and restriction.

The period of restriction begins right after Mardi Gras with Ash Wednesday and is followed by Lent the next week. Lent is the tradition where believers and followers give up conveniences to express religious devotion. This is usually associated with giving up meat and I’ll explain why later. First things first, though; first we must celebrate gluttony and freedom. This is the American Way.

Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French. In France, where many of the origins regarding Fat Tuesday are traced to; the tradition involves eating extremely indulgent and fatty foods before having to give it all up. Sweden has to always be so damn accurate, as they eat actual fat…on Tuesday…call it Fat Tuesday and they’re good. I knew there had to be something wrong with that place.

Overall, traditions that are associated with Fat Tuesday or Carnival involve many similar elements and yet are uniquely different from country to country. However, all cultures seem to value a good parade. The celebrations of Fat Tuesday and Carnival both embody the spirit that one sees throughout Louisiana; in the attitude, lifestyle, cultural traditions as well as their artistic expressions. The spirit of Louisiana has infused itself into American Culture as well.

New Orleans is that younger, fun uncle who always showed you something new and cool when he visited. Maybe your parents wouldn’t approve and yet they wouldn’t deny the allure either. It’s not like they’re going to ban Uncle Steve from coming over. “The Big Easy” has been an adult playground long before Las Vegas was even imagined. In providing such, New Orleans has done so in a much more authentic way. New Orleans and its celebration of Fat Tuesday are indicative of a larger melting pot of culture and art that represents American Culture.

Other countries around the world celebrate Fat Tuesday. Everyone knows about the party that occurs in Brazil known as Carnival. Carnival has derived from the Latin phrase, Carne Vale and translates as, “Goodbye to the Meat”; yep, simple as that. And this is why many people choose to give up eating meat for Lent. Although the point may be argued that it is less of a choice and more of a mandate. Carnival is Brazil’s most famous holiday. Keep this in mind though; the celebrations around Brazil are as diverse as the culture and individuality found in each city.

Germany is much more straight-up about the holiday and in typical German fashion, Fat Tuesday is commonly referred to  as “Before the Fast”...way to focus on the negative Claus. Fastnacht, is the pastry generally associated with Karneval [the German word for Carnival]. Karneval is often used to name the German celebration of Fat Tuesday. Either way one looks at it, Germany celebrates the last Tuesday before Lent; and they do so in a much more somber tone zan ze rest of ze world…moving on.

Belgium is pretty big about Fat Tuesday and their celebration is one of the most important and therefore most popular celebrations of the year. After all, the national language spoken in Belgium is French, so that should come as no surprise. That’s why that deliciously light and yet dangerously powerful beer from Belgium is called Stella Artois. Maybe they’ll send me some free beer in time for Fat Tuesday? In the Netherlands they like to get down as well; the Dutch party much the same way as the Italians and Brazilians get after it.

That brings us to Italy. Martedi Grasso [Fat Tuesday] in typical Italian fashion (and most likely out of competition with the French), Italians throw a party with extended boarders to include the preceding Thursday; which is conveniently named “Fat Thursday” or “Giovedi Grasso”. This occasion as well as the actual Fat Tuesday celebration; known as Carnevale and is closely associated with traditional origins. It’s no wonder to find that Italians are widely considered to be the founders of the Carnival movement in this celebratory process.

So, back here in America; we will celebrate early and often. Even though the excuse for starting early is because we “have to work on Tuesday”…and then we will still celebrate on Tuesday anyway. This is why there are usually a great number of red eyes accompanying those charcoal crosses on people’s foreheads. Of course that’s just one of the ways people commemorate the occasion and I don’t want to be offensive of anyone’s faith. At least at this point you have a better understanding for the origins of Fat Tuesday and understand just how we have come about our traditions here in America… quite honestly.