Down in New Orleans

New Orleans

Language level: Basic

Standard accent: American

Source: Speak Up

New Orleans cebrates Mardi Gras on February 5^th. Parades will fill the streets with marching bands and incredible floats. Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in August 2005, but nothing can stop the New Orleans people and their world-famous celebrations.

In actual fact the Mardi Gras tradition is a key factor in the survival of the city. In February 2006, only months after the catastrophe, the citizens of New Orleans put on their sequined costumes and joined in colorful celebrations, even though large parts of the city where still closed. When asked to describe New Oleans at that time film director Spike Lee said: “Imagine Hiroshima after World War II, that’s what New Orleans looks like! Miles of devastation.

SCANDAL

The Bush administration committed $110 billion after criticism of its inadequate and incompetent response to the disaster. Unfortunately, this money hasn’t reached the people who really need it. The city administration is bankrupt, six of the city’s nine hospital remain closed; its police force is undermanned. Crime in the city is increasing and the rich employ private security guards to protect their buildings.

The Lower Ninth District, a low income African-American area, is still without electricity, running water and public services. There are controversial plans to transform the area into parkland, as a buttress for the city in cause of future hurricanes. A lower Ninth shows sign of recovery, but this is mostly due to the work of charities, who are re-building houses.

LET’S PARTY!

How then can New Orleans afford to host one of the world’s greatest carnivals? There are two major reasons: first, the local people, who have follow this traditions for generations; second, commercial forces such as tourism. Whatever the reason, on February 5^th New Orleans will be alive and swinging from the early morning till midnight strikes. It’s Mardi Gras!

The Mardi Gras Tradition

The Madi Gras tradition was introduced to New Orleans by French settlers in the eighteenth century. It was a Catholic festival marking the last day of the carnival season before Lent. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”. This was because families slaughtered a calf on this day.

The New Orleans Mardi Gras really began in 1957 with the formation of the Mystick Krewe of Comus, the first club to organize a mask ball and carnival parade.

Today each district of the city has its own “Krewe” or club, and the Mardi Gras parades are simply among the most spectacular in the world.