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Mardi Gras Beads: A Colorful History

Mardi Gras beads have a long and "colorful"destination within the United States, and the
history, stretching back as far as the 1840s.Mardi Gras celebration as we know it today
Despite the inclusion of other handouts tobegan  to  take  form.
the Mardi Gras parades over the years, the
colorful little Mardi Gras beads are stillToday, the throwing of the beads is still a
the most popular way to celebrate thepowerful Mardi Gras tradition, but it has
occasion.evolved in some ways. For example the modern
custom of begging, or otherwise trying to
Bright colorful glass beads have become aentice parade participants to throw beads,
staple of Mardi Gras events in New Orleans,only began in the 1970s. This has of course
and the "tossing of the beads" has become adevolved into the practice of young women
strong tradition over the years, and part ofbearing their breasts in exchange for being
the Mardi Gras charm that attracts millionsthrown bead necklaces, something that has
of revelers every year. But how exactly didturned into a tradition of it's own over the
this tradition get started? And what is thelast  30  years.
significance of throwing colorful bead
necklaces during Mardi Gras? The answers toBut these days the Mardi Gras beads are not
these  questions  may  surprise  you...actual colored glass, but usually made of
cheap plastic, and more often than not,
New Orleans historians trace the evolution ofimported from China. But this hasn't
Mardi Gras beads as far back as the 1840s.diminished the symbolic meaning of the Mardi
Legend has it that both colorful glass beadsGras bead necklaces one bit, and they are
and almonds coated with sugar began beingmore  popular  today  than  ever.
tossed into the crowds as a type of modern
(for the time) version of a much olderHaving said that, the Mardi Gras beads do
English Renaissance era custom. The originalhave a lot of competition these days. Many
English custom was to hold a type ofother parade handouts have been tried over
promenade, wherein the local aristocracy of athe years, and in the last several decades,
township would parade down the village highthe most popular new items have been the
Street, throwing these candies and glass beadcoconuts that a group known as "Zulu" began
trinkets  to  the  peasantry  of  the  town.handing out to parade watchers in the 1980s.
The New Orleans version of bead throwingFor insurance reasons, the coconuts are not
began as a type of perversion of thisallowed to be tossed out into the crowd, but
original English Renaissance custom. Insteadmust be handed to individual revelers one at
of aristocracy throwing beads and othera time. The coconuts have become so popular
trinkets or candies, regular citizens wouldthat in 1987, Louisiana Governor Edwin
dress up as aristocrats as a way of mockingEdwards drafted and signed into law the
the  original  English  tradition.so-called "coconut bill," which stated that
coconuts could legally be handed out along
But originally, the New Orleans tradition waswith Mardi Gras beads during the
not to throw beads, but only string necklacescelebrations.
at the parades. But beginning sometime
between 1870 and 1880, parade participantsBut today, despite the recent acceptance of
dressed as Santa Claus began appearing andother handouts, it is still the world famous
throwing the now familiar type of Marty GrasMardi Gras beads that continue to capture the
beads. It was about this time that Newimagination of revelers, just as they have
Orleans was becoming a popular touristfor more than 150 years.



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