Mystic society
Encyclopedia
A mystic society is a Carnival
social organization, similar to a krewe
in New Orleans, that presents parades and/or balls for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. The term came to be used in this context in Mobile, Alabama
. Mystic society membership is secret. The societies have been based in class, economic and racial groups. Mobile's parading mystic societies build colorful Carnival floats and create costumes around each year's themes.
During the Carnival season, the mystic societies parade in costume on their floats throughout downtown Mobile. Masked society members toss small gifts, known as throws, to the parade spectators. The throws can take the form of trinkets, candy, cookies, peanuts, panties, artificial roses, stuffed animals, doubloon
s, cups, hats, can coolers, Frisbee
s, medallion necklaces, bead necklaces of every variety, and Moon Pie
s.
Mystic societies in Mobile give formal masquerade ball
s, known as bal masqués, which are almost always invitation only and are oriented to adults. Attendance at a ball requires that a strict dress code be followed that usually involves full-length evening gowns and white tie with tails for invited guests, and masked costumes for society members. The bal masqués feature dramatic entertainment, music, dancing, food, and drinks. Bal masqués are normally based on a theme which is carried out through scenery, decorations, and costumes. Some society balls also include a tableau vivant
. Much of the memorabilia from these occasions can be viewed at the Mobile Carnival Museum
.
. Mobile's first informal Carnival society was organized in 1711 with the Boeuf Gras Society (Fatted Ox Society). Since that time mystic societies have evolved into much more complex organizations and membership has been formed by various social groups, originally based in class and related alignments. Groups have been formed by co-workers, bachelors, women, African American
s, Jews, married
women, married couples, gays and lesbians
, or open membership, including visitors.
Mobile's Cowbellion de Rakin Society was the first formally organized and masked mystic society in the United States to celebrate with a parade in 1830. The Cowbellions got their start when a cotton factor from Pennsylvania
, Michael Krafft began a parade with rakes, hoes, and cowbells. The Cowbellions introduced horse-drawn floats to the parades in 1840 with a parade entitled, “Heathen Gods and Goddesses. The Striker's Independent Society
was formed in 1842 and is the oldest surviving mystic society in the United States. The idea of mystic societies was exported to New Orleans in 1856 when six businessmen, three who were formerly of Mobile, gathered at a club room in New Orlean's French Quarter to organize a secret society, inspired by the Cowbellion de Rakin Society, that would observe Mardi Gras with a formal parade. They founded New Orleans' first and oldest krewe, the Mistick Krewe of Comus
. Carnival celebrations in Mobile were cancelled during the American Civil War.
Mardi Gras parades were revived in Mobile after the Civil War
by Joe Cain
in 1867, when he paraded through the city streets on Fat Tuesday while costumed as a fictional Chickasaw
chief named Slacabamorinico. He irreverently celebrated the day in front of occupation Union Army
troops. The Order of Myths, Mobile's oldest mystic society which continues to parade, was founded in 1867 and held its first parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868. The Infant Mystics also begin to parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868, but later moved its parade to Lundi Gras
(Fat Monday).
The Mobile Carnival Association (MCA) was formed in 1871 to coordinate the events of Mardi Gras; this year also saw the first Royal Court held with the first king of Carnival, Emperor Felix I. The Comic Cowboys of Wragg Swamp were established in 1884, along with their mission of satire and free expression. The Continental Mystic Crew mystic society was founded in 1890, it was Mobile's first Jewish mystic society. The Order of Doves mystic society was founded in 1894 and held its first Mardi Gras ball. It was the first organized African-American mystic society in Mobile. The first mystic of women was the M.W.M who held its first and likely only ball in 1890 and the first women's society to parade in the streets of Mobile was the Order of Polka Dots who rolled in 1950 just one night before its friendly rivals, the Maids of Mirth (MOMs).
The Infant Mystics, the second oldest society that continues to parade, introduced the first electric floats to Mobile in 1929. The Colored Carnival Association was founded and had its first parade of societies in 1939; it was later named the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (MAMGA). The Mobile Colored Carnival Association (now called the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association or MAMGA) installed the first African-American Mardi Gras court in 1940 with the coronation of King Elexis I and his queen. It coordinates events of African-American mystic societies.
Founded in 1961, Le Krewe De Bienville (LKDB) exists as Mobile's only civic and charitable organization with a mission statement to promote Mobile and its Mardi Gras. Following the lead of the little known Krewe of Pan and Apostles of Apollo, societies comprising members of the city's gay and lesbian community, the Order of Osiris held its first ball in 1980. It is now one of the Carnival season's most anticipated balls and sought-after invitation.
The Mobile International Carnival Ball was first held in 1995, with every known Mobile mystic society in attendance. The Order of Outowners mystic society was founded in 2001 with the mission of being a more modern and inclusive society than the traditional ones, and offers ball tickets for sale to the general public. The Conde Explorers were founded as a parading mystic society in 2004, with the express mission of being open to all races and both genders. The Conde Explorers were one of several mystic societies featured in the 2008 documentary film, The Order of Myths
. It reveals Mobile's Carnival preparations and celebrations, the beauties and joys, as well as the complex racial history of the city and its mystic societies.
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
social organization, similar to a krewe
Krewe
A krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and or a ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with New Orleans Mardi Gras, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations around the Gulf of Mexico, such as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida, and...
in New Orleans, that presents parades and/or balls for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. The term came to be used in this context in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Mystic society membership is secret. The societies have been based in class, economic and racial groups. Mobile's parading mystic societies build colorful Carnival floats and create costumes around each year's themes.
During the Carnival season, the mystic societies parade in costume on their floats throughout downtown Mobile. Masked society members toss small gifts, known as throws, to the parade spectators. The throws can take the form of trinkets, candy, cookies, peanuts, panties, artificial roses, stuffed animals, doubloon
Doubloon
The doubloon , was a two-escudo or 32-reales gold coin, weighing 6.77 grams . Doubloons were minted in Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Nueva Granada...
s, cups, hats, can coolers, Frisbee
Frisbee
A flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
s, medallion necklaces, bead necklaces of every variety, and Moon Pie
Moon pie
A moon pie or MoonPie is a pastry which consists of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in chocolate or other flavors. The traditional pie is about three inches in diameter...
s.
Mystic societies in Mobile give formal masquerade ball
Masquerade ball
A masquerade ball is an event which the participants attend in costume wearing a mask. - History :...
s, known as bal masqués, which are almost always invitation only and are oriented to adults. Attendance at a ball requires that a strict dress code be followed that usually involves full-length evening gowns and white tie with tails for invited guests, and masked costumes for society members. The bal masqués feature dramatic entertainment, music, dancing, food, and drinks. Bal masqués are normally based on a theme which is carried out through scenery, decorations, and costumes. Some society balls also include a tableau vivant
Tableau vivant
Tableau vivant is French for "living picture." The term describes a striking group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move...
. Much of the memorabilia from these occasions can be viewed at the Mobile Carnival Museum
Mobile Carnival Museum
The Mobile Carnival Museum is a history museum that chronicles over 300 years of Carnival and Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama. The museum is housed in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion on Government Street in downtown Mobile.-Features:...
.
History
Mobile first celebrated Carnival in 1703 when French settlers began the festivities at the Old Mobile SiteOld Mobile Site
The Old Mobile Site was the location of the French settlement La Mobile and the associated Fort Louis de La Louisiane, in the French colony of New France in North America, from 1702 until 1712. The site is located in Le Moyne, Alabama, on the Mobile River in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta...
. Mobile's first informal Carnival society was organized in 1711 with the Boeuf Gras Society (Fatted Ox Society). Since that time mystic societies have evolved into much more complex organizations and membership has been formed by various social groups, originally based in class and related alignments. Groups have been formed by co-workers, bachelors, women, African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, Jews, married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
women, married couples, gays and lesbians
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
, or open membership, including visitors.
Mobile's Cowbellion de Rakin Society was the first formally organized and masked mystic society in the United States to celebrate with a parade in 1830. The Cowbellions got their start when a cotton factor from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Michael Krafft began a parade with rakes, hoes, and cowbells. The Cowbellions introduced horse-drawn floats to the parades in 1840 with a parade entitled, “Heathen Gods and Goddesses. The Striker's Independent Society
Striker's Independent Society
The Strikers Independent Society is a mystic society founded in 1843in Mobile, Alabama and participated in Carnival during New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations....
was formed in 1842 and is the oldest surviving mystic society in the United States. The idea of mystic societies was exported to New Orleans in 1856 when six businessmen, three who were formerly of Mobile, gathered at a club room in New Orlean's French Quarter to organize a secret society, inspired by the Cowbellion de Rakin Society, that would observe Mardi Gras with a formal parade. They founded New Orleans' first and oldest krewe, the Mistick Krewe of Comus
Mistick Krewe of Comus
The Mistick Krewe of Comus is a New Orleans, Louisiana Carnival krewe.Prior to the advent of Comus, Carnival celebrations in New Orleans were mostly confined to the Roman Catholic Creole community, and parades were irregular and often very informally organized.Comus was organized by...
. Carnival celebrations in Mobile were cancelled during the American Civil War.
Mardi Gras parades were revived in Mobile after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
by Joe Cain
Joe Cain
]Joseph Stillwell Cain, Jr. is largely credited with the rebirth of Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama, stopped due to the Civil War....
in 1867, when he paraded through the city streets on Fat Tuesday while costumed as a fictional Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
chief named Slacabamorinico. He irreverently celebrated the day in front of occupation Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
troops. The Order of Myths, Mobile's oldest mystic society which continues to parade, was founded in 1867 and held its first parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868. The Infant Mystics also begin to parade on Mardi Gras night in 1868, but later moved its parade to Lundi Gras
Lundi Gras
Lundi Gras is a relatively recently popularized name for a series of Shrove Monday events taking place during the New Orleans Mardi Gras. It includes the tradition of Rex, king of the New Orleans carnival, arriving by boat...
(Fat Monday).
The Mobile Carnival Association (MCA) was formed in 1871 to coordinate the events of Mardi Gras; this year also saw the first Royal Court held with the first king of Carnival, Emperor Felix I. The Comic Cowboys of Wragg Swamp were established in 1884, along with their mission of satire and free expression. The Continental Mystic Crew mystic society was founded in 1890, it was Mobile's first Jewish mystic society. The Order of Doves mystic society was founded in 1894 and held its first Mardi Gras ball. It was the first organized African-American mystic society in Mobile. The first mystic of women was the M.W.M who held its first and likely only ball in 1890 and the first women's society to parade in the streets of Mobile was the Order of Polka Dots who rolled in 1950 just one night before its friendly rivals, the Maids of Mirth (MOMs).
The Infant Mystics, the second oldest society that continues to parade, introduced the first electric floats to Mobile in 1929. The Colored Carnival Association was founded and had its first parade of societies in 1939; it was later named the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (MAMGA). The Mobile Colored Carnival Association (now called the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association or MAMGA) installed the first African-American Mardi Gras court in 1940 with the coronation of King Elexis I and his queen. It coordinates events of African-American mystic societies.
Founded in 1961, Le Krewe De Bienville (LKDB) exists as Mobile's only civic and charitable organization with a mission statement to promote Mobile and its Mardi Gras. Following the lead of the little known Krewe of Pan and Apostles of Apollo, societies comprising members of the city's gay and lesbian community, the Order of Osiris held its first ball in 1980. It is now one of the Carnival season's most anticipated balls and sought-after invitation.
The Mobile International Carnival Ball was first held in 1995, with every known Mobile mystic society in attendance. The Order of Outowners mystic society was founded in 2001 with the mission of being a more modern and inclusive society than the traditional ones, and offers ball tickets for sale to the general public. The Conde Explorers were founded as a parading mystic society in 2004, with the express mission of being open to all races and both genders. The Conde Explorers were one of several mystic societies featured in the 2008 documentary film, The Order of Myths
The Order of Myths
The Order of Myths is a 2008 documentary film directed by Margaret Brown. It focuses on the Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama, the oldest in the United States. It reveals the separate mystic societies established and maintained by black and white groups, and acknowledges the complex...
. It reveals Mobile's Carnival preparations and celebrations, the beauties and joys, as well as the complex racial history of the city and its mystic societies.
Past and present societies
Some of the mystic societies in Mobile (not all-inclusive):
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Striker's Independent Society The Strikers Independent Society is a mystic society founded in 1843in Mobile, Alabama and participated in Carnival during New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations.... |
Further reading
- Mobile, AlabamaMobile, AlabamaMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
- Mardi GrasMardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
- Mardi Gras in MobileMardi Gras in MobileMardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama[pronounce] is the oldest annual Carnival celebration in America, having begun in 1703,over 15 years before New Orleans was founded ....