The Department of Language and Culture partnered with International Student Services hosting a Mardi Gras Celebration on Feb. 17. Shrove Tuesday was more than just a day of indulgence before the preliminary fasting of Lent. Here at St. Edward’s University, the celebratory event blended education, community and tradition all in one.

The name Mardi Gras comes from the French for “Fat Tuesday.” It is a traditional day of feasting and celebration before the sacrificial 40-day period of the Lent season in the Christian calendar. Most famously associated with New Orleans parades filled with floats, beads and bands, the holiday is rooted in so much more. Originating as a medieval European tradition of carnival, it was later adopted by the Catholic Church and brought to the U.S. in 1706, first occurring in Mobile, Alabama. 

While the celebratory event wasn’t hosted in traditional places where Fat Tuesday is celebrated, its attempt to incorporate music, food and community was well over successful, inviting students and faculty to immerse themselves in the history and religion of Mardi Gras. 

“Mardi Gras is really about the last day of celebration before the reflective season of Lent begins,” said Emily Hammond, a Spanish professor who helped co-host the event through the Department of Languages and Culture. “We wanted students to understand that this isn’t just one big party, but tied to faith, history and community.”

Located in the Mabee Ballrooms, tables filled all perimeters of the room. Students who are enrolled in a language class were assigned to make a dish or mask, with prior completion of research as part of their class participation grade. Decorated in the traditional colors of Mardi Gras green, purple and gold, the optional decorative masks were offered to  the attendees to participate in as the event ran.

Hammond mentioned that the event was a collaboration between all of the foreign languages taught: Spanish, French and Japanese. 

“Since we teach global languages, it made sense to frame Mardi Gras within a border cultural conversation,” Hammond said. 

Food was served throughout the entirety of the event, along with competitions for mask decorations. Chloe Bedwell, a student participant, explained that before this event she didn’t know much about Mardi Gras. 

“I’ve heard about it before, but I’ve only seen videos on TikTok about it,” Bedwell said. What drew her in was the ability to choose the dish presented, prompting her choice to showcase a family recipe, a Vietnamese chicken stew inspired by French Cuisine during the mid 19th and 20th century. “It’s a dish full of culture. It can’t be found at a restaurant, it’s kind of niche.” 

The collaboration with the department of International Student Services broadened the event, inviting students from all different ethnic backgrounds to participate. The room was filled with conversations of people sharing their own family history and connection to Mardi Gras and its significance. 

With its first debut since pre-COVID-19, the event surpassed its expectation in turnout. In light of the event’s comeback, new formats and logistics will be explored in future editions.  

“Next year we will need a new space, but it’s a good problem to have,” Hammond said.