It's never too late for holiday letters to arrive. This week we heard from Larry/Dad/Paco's former research advisor Hal Swofford and his wife Elna and also from my MSU advisor, who's name is Betty (Betty #3 on a previous blog post). Both communications were by email, which makes me think I need to print them and save with the paper holiday cards and letters which I usually read through again sometime in the summer or fall to remind myself that I should communicate more often than once a year with some of those folks.
Anyway, I'll get back on track here. Betty and Bill's holiday e-letter comes on the eve of the Holy War between the Vikings and the Saints, so there's lots of football talk going on. Once that's over, it's back to focusing on Mardi Gras for Betty and Bill. I couldn't resist posting this excerpt from their letter. No matter how unusual we Minnesotans are perceived to be for ice fishing, you betcha's, lutefisk, and other oddities we blame on the Swedes and Norwegians, there are stranger things going on elsewhere. Betty writes...
Anyway, I'll get back on track here. Betty and Bill's holiday e-letter comes on the eve of the Holy War between the Vikings and the Saints, so there's lots of football talk going on. Once that's over, it's back to focusing on Mardi Gras for Betty and Bill. I couldn't resist posting this excerpt from their letter. No matter how unusual we Minnesotans are perceived to be for ice fishing, you betcha's, lutefisk, and other oddities we blame on the Swedes and Norwegians, there are stranger things going on elsewhere. Betty writes...
Last year, we had several family members join us here for Mardi Gras. We are in Eunice, Louisiana, which is the heart of Prairie Cajun Country. Three were here from pacific northwest, and two from Ozarks. This year, one from Seattle and my sister/hubby from Ozarks. We are able to participate in the Chicken Run, a traditional Cajun experience. We ride on a hay bale wagon (in costume) and stop at various farmsteads along the route.
The revelers go begging for food... if you can imagine over 200 costumed drunk people begging for rice, beans, chickens, or anything to go into the gumbo. They climb onto the roof of specific homes, and the owner throws a chicken to the crowd below. They race and run after it. As soon as it is caught, the poor chicken gets fed beer, etc., to take away the pain. The run stops at the farm where it started where gumbo (made from last year's chickens) is ready, as is the music. Dancing goes on til midnight, when it is Ash Wednesday, and all frivolity stops.
These customs came from France, thru Acadia in Nova Scotia, on into Louisiana when the British ran out the Acadians who wouldn't embrace the Church of England in 1750. Most of them got to Louisiana because it was a French possession and the population spoke the language. It has taken us several winters here to get it all figured out... and we even went to Nova Scotia in '03 to see it all at that end. There are many ways to celebrate Mardi Gras... at home they have Fat Tues pancake suppers at church.... as all of this is supposed to mean that "NO ONE SHOULD GO INTO LENT HUNGRY."
Well, Betty, the only advice I can give is to watch out for flying chickens and drunken runners. And as they say in Nawlins, laissez le bon temp rouler.
The revelers go begging for food... if you can imagine over 200 costumed drunk people begging for rice, beans, chickens, or anything to go into the gumbo. They climb onto the roof of specific homes, and the owner throws a chicken to the crowd below. They race and run after it. As soon as it is caught, the poor chicken gets fed beer, etc., to take away the pain. The run stops at the farm where it started where gumbo (made from last year's chickens) is ready, as is the music. Dancing goes on til midnight, when it is Ash Wednesday, and all frivolity stops.
These customs came from France, thru Acadia in Nova Scotia, on into Louisiana when the British ran out the Acadians who wouldn't embrace the Church of England in 1750. Most of them got to Louisiana because it was a French possession and the population spoke the language. It has taken us several winters here to get it all figured out... and we even went to Nova Scotia in '03 to see it all at that end. There are many ways to celebrate Mardi Gras... at home they have Fat Tues pancake suppers at church.... as all of this is supposed to mean that "NO ONE SHOULD GO INTO LENT HUNGRY."
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Me again. If you do a YouTube search for "chicken run Eunice, Louisiana" you'll see the wild costumes, including people dressed as chickens and what appear to be KKK clowns. They're not, but you'll see what I mean if you browse a bit!Well, Betty, the only advice I can give is to watch out for flying chickens and drunken runners. And as they say in Nawlins, laissez le bon temp rouler.
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