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<\/a>Mobile Mardi Gras<\/p><\/div>\n
Mobile has a number of strange, historic, and strong Mardi Gras traditions. One of my favorites is Joe Cain Day. Joe Cain is credited with re-starting the Mobile Mardi Gras after the War Between the States. In 1868, Joe Cain costumed as\u00a0Slacabamorinico, a make believe Chickasaw Chief. The Chickasaw, a legendary fighting force, had never been defeated in battle throughout their history. Cain had been in New Orleans the year before for the Fireman’s Day Parade. The next day was Mardi Gras Day, and Cain was impressed with what he saw. His costume was an indirect insult to the still occupying Union force, since the Chickasaw had always won in battle.<\/p>\n
A half dozen former Confederate veterans joined Cain later in the day, riding in a decorated coal wagon playing musical instruments. They became known as the\u00a0L. C. Minstrel Band<\/em>, now known as the Lost Cause Minstrels\u00a0<\/em>of Mobile.<\/p>\n No day is greater than Joe Cain Day. Cain is honored on the Sunday before Mardi Gras every year with a graveyard procession featuring Cain\u2019s Merry Widows, who dress in 1800s funeral attire and weep and wail for their beloved husband. Once they\u2019ve finished this ritual, the Widows throw black beads and black roses to the crowd and head over to Cain\u2019s original home in the Oakleigh Historic District, where they are invited in for cocktails and bicker over who was his favorite.<\/p>\n In the afternoon, the Mistresses of Joe Cain lead the Joe Cain Procession, also known as the People\u2019s Parade,<\/em> featuring homemade floats made by groups of local friends, families, businesses, churches, and schools. Lasting all afternoon, it is the longest parade of Carnival, and it draws \u00a0in the neighborhood of 150,000 participants and onlookers.<\/p>\n Cain helped to organize the T.D.S. (Tea Drinker\u2019s Society),\u00a0<\/span>one of Mobile’s mystic societies, in 1846; however, their banquets were part of Mobile’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, rather than being held on Mardi Gras day.\u00a0Other groups had developed Mardi Gras parades, but the Civil War had brought them to a halt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe Cain as Slacabamorinico<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n He’s buried in Mobile in the Church Street graveyard. His gravestone says-<\/p>\n Here lies old Joe Cain<\/em><\/p>\n The heart and soul of Mardi Gras in Mobile<\/em><\/p>\n Joseph Stillwell Cain<\/em><\/p>\n Slacabamorinico – Old Slac<\/em><\/p>\n From the blog.al.com<\/a> web site-<\/p>\n In the final Mardi Gras parade, Folly and Death ride the same float. Folly tries to beat death, since Folly is the only one who would try. Mardi Gras is the one time of the year when Folly triumphs over death. Except today, Fat Tuesday.<\/em><\/p>\n They ride the first float of the last parade of Carnival, which is presented by Mobile\u2019s oldest and most storied Mardi Gras organization, the Order of Myths.<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>Pulled by mules and illuminated by flambeaux, the float looks like it did generations ago, creating a portal that carries revelers back to the late 19th century.\u00a0<\/em>On the float, Folly chases Death around a broken column \u2014 what the OOMs refer to as \u201cthe broken column of life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Joe](\"http:\/\/blog.carnivalneworleans.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Joe-Cain.jpg\")
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![\"OOM's](\"http:\/\/blog.carnivalneworleans.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Folly-Chasing-Death.jpg\")
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