On Mardi Gras in Basile, Louisiana, groups of people disguise themselves in colorful costumes and go to houses and farms singing this song and begging for ingredients to make gumbo. This is called the Courir de Mardi Gras. Sometimes they go on horseback. Later they return to town with the ingredients they procured and (traditionally) the women make a great big gumbo for the whole village.

The captain is the leader of the group. He leads this call and response song, singing the first part, while the group sings the response (the chorus).

Notes

*Starting in the 1980's women started joining in this tradition.
**Froid in standard French (meaning cold).

Comments

The Courir de Mardi Gras in Basile includes the tradition of begging for nickels (called cinq sous).

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