Courir de MARDI GRAS

The Cajun tradition of courir de Mardi Gras still thrives in many rural southwestern Louisiana towns. With roots in medieval Europe, the tradition of horseback riders in masks and costumes roaming through the countryside to collect ingredients for a community gumbo has been kept alive by the descendants of the early Acadian settlers in Louisiana.

The most well-known courirs take place in towns including Mamou, Eunice, Church Point and Iota. But lesser-known events like Grand Prairie's are every bit as entertaining.

Originally the costumes and hats of participants poked fun at the ruling class when courirs started in 14th-and 15th-century France. Today the riders still wear costumes as they beg for ingredients such as live chickens, sausage and rice to add to the gumbo. They are usually asked by the homeowners to dance or perform in order to earn the ingredient. This begging and sharing of food is symbolic of the redistribution of the food supply (wealth) within a community.

The Grand Prairie Courir has taken place for the past 42 years, according to Capitaine Ricky Soileau. Participants gather at the W.D. Fontenot grocery store on the side of La. 103 starting at 6 a.m. on the Sunday prior to Mardi Gras. This year's event included approximately 560 paid participants, most of whom were on horseback, according to Soileau. The ride covered a 17-mile route through parts of St. Landry and Evangeline parishes.