Those fortunate enough to partake in Mobile’s Mardi Gras festivities know that the final week before Ash Wednesday can be a blur.
It feels like you’re on a high, attending as many parades and balls as you can. That, my friend, is Deep Gras. You’re in deep now!
You find yourself losing sleep, time is moving quickly, and you get into proper Mardi Gras mode.
The term “Deep Gras” was coined by a musician and radio personality from New Orleans, Dominique Lejeune. She came up with it last year when she was experiencing this particular phenomenon.
When the term reemerged on Twitter this week, everyone was quick to affirm her feelings. Deep Gras went viral.
Deep Gras in Mobile
In Mobile, the usual festivities ensue until Fat Tuesday (day before Ash Wednesday). There was a much-needed lull until the Mystic Stripers Society kicked off the parading once again on Thursday.
However, Wednesday wasn’t exactly a blank spot. The Fifty Funny Fellows hosted an invite-only ball at the Mobile Civic Center. Guests dolled up for the event and celebrated Mobile’s rich history.
Mobile public figure, Wayne Dean, admitted, “this is the time where you get into some deep stuff.” And deep stuff we get into, indeed!
We’ll never forget that Mardi Gras originated in Mobile in 1703, but it didn’t stick. Then Joe Cain revived it after the civil war, and thus we celebrate his contribution in the Joe Cain procession.
Wayne Dean still portrays the invented Indian character, Chief Slacabamarinico, some 35 years later. The character Chief Slac has his roots from 1868 when Joe Cain used to dress in this improvised costume.
One could say that Dean is right in the middle of the gaiety that happens in the final six days of Mardi Gras. Emotions are running high, the reality is fading, and we get totally immersed in history, feathers, and glitter. Dean agrees that “Deep Gras” is an apt term for this sensation.
The New Interpretation of Deep Gras
Lejeune describes her Deep Gras as a “pleasure mania.”
But when the term went viral this time around, other folks had some different interpretations of Deep Gras. They use it in a more simplistic and lighthearted way.
For some, Deep Gras is an acceptance of things to come. There will be fun with strangers, little sleep, a lot of booze, and a lot of dancing.
It’s time to be merry and let our freak flags fly. We ignore real-world stuff and let the amusement engulf us.
And Mobilians think there’s no better way to celebrate each other than to end Mardi Gras with a bang.
Lejeune was not too pleased with other people’s interpretation of her catchphrase. She had intended it to be comical. Still, we can’t reduce other people’s feelings, especially over a shared event like Mardi Gras.
Other Mardi Gras Terms
“Deep Gras” is only one of Lejeune’s coined phrases. Some might get a kick out of knowing that there are specific terms for Mardi Gras phenomena, like:
Mardi Gras Miracle
This is when something you badly want appears out of nowhere at the right moment. Don’t expect to be granted one of these if you’re a party pooper, though.
Mardi Gras Vampire
This is when a stranger latches onto your friend group. They feel a little too welcome and drink all your booze—Leech energy.
Mardi Gras Détritus
This is when you realize that you can’t get rid of the glitter on yourself and everything you own. It’s the chaos that Mardi Gras leaves. Your home is littered with costumes, trinkets, and cake.
Mardi Gras Boo
This is someone you get with during Mardi Gras season. It’s instant chemistry that fizzles out as quickly as it starts.
Mardi Gras Meltdown
This is when you lose it and throw a hissy fit during Mardi Gras. It could be from dehydration or lack of sleep, or both. Either way, try to recover because Mardi Gras goes on without you.
We’re In Deep Gras
It’s all in good fun. Lejeune’s little list of Mardi Gras terminology is funny, and we can all relate to it.
I think what we should take away from this is the fact that we know exactly what she’s talking about. Mardi Gras is a shared event, and we all experience emotions that are unique to it.
It only confirms how much we value this time of year. Some of us even think that Mardi Gras is a bigger deal than Christmas.
So now that we’re “in deep,” stay hydrated and take care of yourself. No one wants to deal with a Mardi Gras Meltdown. Mardi on, and remember, what happens on the float, stays on the float.
