Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog
This searchable database provides information on images, documents, and audio and video recordings, made between 1934 and the present.
Interview of Georgie Manuel
00:03 - Potpourri, INC. sign, looking at signs on the door.
00:50 - Going inside the Potpourri store, showing different crafts and other objects to be bought in the store
01:18 - Shows Mardi Gras mask for sale
01:40 - Shows Mardi Gras decorations (signs of masks, chickens)
02:25 - Shows a rack of Mardi Gras costumes
03:20 - Shows a Mardi Gras costume up close and discusses how long it takes to make them
05:30 - Detail shots of costumes
07:00 - Shows big prints of Mardi Gras riders
09:15 - Shows two different types of masks (a machine made and a handmade)
11:04 - Shows two different machine made masks
14:46 - Soman puts on a machine made mask
16:36 - Shows different masks made of all different mediums
18:21 - Demonstration - how to make a wire mask
41:47 - Woman tries on different masks to show the different designs
44:00 - Discussing different types of riders and their horses and also the ones that walk
48:05 - Talks about the traditional costumes
50:00 - Talks about New Orleans Mardi Gras and how it is different
53:41 - Demonstration mask is finished and worn
55:13 - Talks about a children’s Mardi Gras run
56:30 - Talks about classmates of their son who made their own costumes and joined the Eunice Mardi Gras
57:50 - Inappropriate costumes
59:22 - Mardi Gras is not just about getting drunk (celebrating before the fasting of Lent)
01:00:45 - Talking about how many people come to Eunice Mardi Gras
01:02:22 - Men and women running together and the different types of people that run
01:04:10 - The route and what happened during the day
01:05:35 - People making too much trouble and having to get them to calm down
01:12:18 - Black Mardi Gras and the differences
01:14:39 - Talks about welcoming in certain people and not others based on your culture
01:17:00 - Woman not being able to run in Mamou, La
01:17:45 - Injuries that have happened during Mardi Gras Runs
01:22:55 - When to order a custom-made costume and how much they cost
Interview of David Bertrand
00:01 - Showing Mardi Gras pictures hanging on the wall
00:37 - A mask that he made and describes how he made it
02:33 - Showing a mask that his son made from different materials
03:30 - Talks about a mask that he made from a cow pelvis
04:08 - Describing the Elton Mardi Gras
Interview of Jeane Norman and Tom Norman
00:05 - Dolls that look like little Mardi Gras riders in costumes;
00:45 - Description of Cajun Mardi Gras;
02:15 - How to make the statues and their costumes (the costumes are made like the regular size costumes);
04:04 - Regular sized costumes (pants, shirts, capuchon, and mask);
04:50 - Screen masks;
05:15 - Shows the different hats (capuchon, mortar board hats);
06:00 - How long it takes to make a costume;
07:08 - Different colors and patterns used for the fabric on costumes
08:30 - Mardi Gras in Louisiana
08:53 - talks about screen masks, how and what they are made of
11:00 - Making a capuchon
12:50 - Price of Mardi Gras costumes
13:11 - What Mardi Gras is to them
15:18 - Talking about people in Lafayette whipping people
15:50 - Talking about being from Church Point and being scared of the riders without a reason to be
17:14 - Inappropriate costumes
19:30 - Mardi Gras in Church Point
20:00 - Cajun Pride
21:25 - Singing and playing the traditional Mardi Gras song
Interview of Julia Bertrand
00:01 demonstrating how to make a wire mask
03:57 - Talks about how the Mardi Gras riders would scare her when she was little;
04:23 - How she paints and decorates the wire masks;
05:30 - Where she buys her supplies for the wire masks;
06:44 - How long it takes her to make the capuchon and the wire mask;
07:31 - Shows how she makes the pants and shirts;
08:31 - How long it takes to make the pants and shirts;
08:54 - Colors that she chooses for the costumes;
09:54 - No childrens' or womens' Mardi Gras runs in Elton;
10:20 - Cost of the costumes and if she makes them to sell;
12:01 - Shows a satin costume that is used as a dressier night costume;
13:16 - Talks about the night dance and the gumbo;
13:30 - Mardi Gras day events;
15:27 - Talks about Elton’s song and their tradition, also when Elton Mardi Gras was canceled because of War or other things;
17:24 - Speaks about how outsiders are welcomed (if they have a traditional costume);
19:20 - Inappropriate behavior and how it’s defined;
20:14 - What Mardi Gras means to her;
21:45 - Racial differences and their separate Mardi Gras;
22:46 - Mardi Gras injuries;
23:20 - Talks about being scared when she was little;
24:16 - Ingredients for the gumbo;
24:39 - How many people actually participate in Mardi Gras in Elton;
25:20 - Talks about how the Indians react to the events;
26:20 - People from other states and other countries;
29:18 - How far in advance to make a costume and how much it costs;
30:30 - How old do you have to be in order to ride;
32:00 - Talks about the music and how riders have to be invited to people’s houses;
33:00 - Mardi Gras captains;
36:17 - Drinking during Mardi Gras;
Interview of Russell Paul Rider
00:03 - Defines what Mardi Gras is to him in Basile
00:53 - Explains what you need in order to run
01:21 - Shows wire masks that he’s made over the years
02:30 - Talks about the traditional costume (pants, shirts, capuchin)
04:11 - The use of horses in Mardi Gras
04:47 - Explains the day’s events on Mardi Gras day
06:33 - Talks about how people sign up for running that day
07:46 - How much it costs to make his own costume and where the products come from
10:11 Accidents and inappropriate costumes
11:25 - Men and women running together
12:04 - Who runs Mardi Gras in Basile
13:00 - Not being able to teach new riders because of so many people wanting to run
13:32 - Talking about keeping their heritage
14:34 - Explains what begging, dancing, and other activities are, talks about Basile’s Mardi Gras song
16:54 - Sings their version of the Mardi Gras song
19:25 - Mardi Gras parades versus Cajun Mardi Gras
20:31 - Talking about people coming without Cajun culture (African American’s have their own Mardi Gras)
22:10 - Tells stories about fun times
28:37 - Ingredients for the gumbo
28:45 - Children’s Mardi Gras
Interview of Evelyn Broussard
00:08 - What Vermilionville does there throughout the year;
00:44 - Different types of costumes from Traditional Mardi Gras;
01:12 - General history of Mardi Gras;
02:10 - Where the capuchin comes from and the other styles of hats seen during the Mardi Gras run;
02:59 - Wire masks and explains how they’re made;
05:56 - Shows old traditional costumes;
06:00 - Brief history of what events happen on the Mardi Gras day;
08:00 - Talks about how friend describes being scared of the runners;
09:15 - Mask used to hide your identity so you could act crazy;
12:40 - Different types of styles of Mardi Gras in different cities;
13:45 - She feels that the tradition is being lost;
15:00 - Difference between New Orleans and Cajun Mardi Gras;
15:43 - Mardi Gras isn’t just about drinking but it is part of the culture (it’s to have fun);
Interview of Claude Durio, his son, and his grandson
00:27 explains Claude history with Tee Mamou Mardi Gras (rider then captain)
02:06 talks about meeting other Mardi Gras riders at events
02:36 explains when Mardi Gras takes place in Tee Mamou and other events (talks about which nights are just women or just men)
03:55 talks about mixing men and women
04:22 talking about Iota Children’s run
05:09 talking about when and where the run starts the day of, discusses the route
06:28 talks about the prices and why it’s more expensive for men
07:18 who can and can’t join
07:30 talks about meetings and what goes on at the meetings
08:03 shows a Mardi Gras whip and describes what it’s for and who can use it
10:01 what is a traditional costume (shows a screen mask)
11:38 talks about if people can come in non-traditional clothes or not
13:00 talks about what the costumes are for
14:00 talks about how costumes should be handmade and about wearing them over and over
14:20 talks about not using horses
15:55 talks about being a child and seeing the Mardi Gras runners (talks about seeing the African American runners)
16:50 talks about if African Americans can run in Tee Mamou
19:05 explains what Mardi Gras is to him
21:06 talks about outsiders coming in to run
22:00 Grandson describes what Mardi Gras is to him
22:45 describes what a captain does
24:01 Son describes what Mardi Gras is to him
25:00 talks about how many people are participating and watching
26:23 where do the outsiders come from
27:30 talks about why Mardi Gras isn’t just about drinking
28:22 talks about New Orleans Mardi Gras and why it’s different
29:53 talking about people drinking in the past versus today
32:20 speaking about their song
33:30 talks about whipping while showing the whip
35:31 talks about how long it takes to make the costume
38:00 talks about who makes masks and costumes
38:45 talks about how their colors are green, red, and yellow
39:20 talks about the difference between Iota and Tee Mamou
40:00 talks about traveling across the state as a Mardi Gras group
41:12 talks about African Americans in Mardi Gras
43:08 talks about bad publicity and how it affects tradition
45:55 speaks about the future of Mardi Gras
47:00 talks about the Mardi Gras song
48:50 gives an example of their song
53:00 starts speaking French
Interview of Jackie and Larry Miller
00:19 Jackie Miller describes what Tee Mamou is and what kind of costumes she makes for the runners
01:08 shows examples of costumes
02:56 She talks about what the costume is made out of, how long it takes her, and how much it costs.
04:11 talks about how to make the capuchin
07:10 talks about when the Mardi Gras runs are and times of when things happen
08:17 talks about participation for outsiders
09:46 talks about the Children’s run and who can participate
10:28 talks about the ages of the runners
11:15 talks about the number of riders
11:50 shows examples of different costumes
14:15 talks about how the runners are performers, which is not for outsiders to perform
15:00 talks about what the captains do in the performance
17:30 talks about the difference between Cajun Mardi Gras and Parade Mardi Gras
18:41 talks about where the runners go (the homes) and how the runners act once at the home
20:25 describes what Mardi Gras is to her
22:45 talks about alcohol consumption and people getting kicked out
24:03 describes what inappropriate behavior is
24:56 talks about being scared of the Mardi Gras runners when she was little and about her granddaughters being scared
26:28 talks about how the Mardi Gras has never been canceled (talks about freezing weather and war)
28:05 explains that there are no special colors for Tee Mamou Mardi Gras
29:30 talks about what information she needs in order to make the costumes
30:33 shows and describes what she uses to make the traditional costumes
32:00 explains the prices for the costumes
32:31 Larry Miller begins speaking about his connection to Mardi Gras and Iota
34:25 talks about being scared of the runners
34:58 talks about studying the traditions of Mardi Gras in different areas around the state (talks about different Mardi Gras groups around Iota of the past)
38:15 talks about the events of Mardi Gras day
39:30 talks about different groups going on on the same day
40:40 talks about how Mardi Gras was more popular than other holidays
42:45 talks about how the Mardi Gras celebrations are traced back to European countries and how other areas of the U.S. celebrate the same kind of way but in other areas of the year
43:50 talks about the Tee Mamou song
46:40 talks about what was drank in the past
47:00 talks about the captain carrying a whip and the type of whip carried
48:05 talks about when he ran in his earlier years
49:00 talks about why Tee Mamou didn’t stop because of WWII and why they stopped using horses
51:00 talks about outsiders running and going to the meetings
53:00 talking about other towns still using horses
54:45 sings the Tee Mamou song
57:28 talks about singing the song and performing once getting to a house on the Mardi Gras run (the clown, the black man and woman)
1:01:30 talks about why black faced is used and why it’s not about making fun of African Americans
Interview of Nelson Godeaux
00:01 - How and when he started running in Eunice Mardi Gras
02:00 - Having to wait out a Mardi Gras because of WWII
03:20 - Keeping so many runners in order
05:25 - Children runners
06:04 - Talks about what adults get when they sign up and how the day goes after registration
08:40 - They don’t allow black people but they’ll let other races
09:08 - Type of costume is needed in order to run in Eunice