every year the krewe of eris rolls like a phantasmagorical tide through downtown new orleans a few days before mardi gras. it is an event held dear by our own scrappy community of artists, musicians, organizers, anarchists, travelers, and revelers - the name of the krewe itself pays homage to the greek goddess of chaos and subversion. folks of all stripes spend weeks working together to create elaborate costumes, floats, musical pieces, and dance troupes for this momentous night - the point of which is to celebrate the weird, the beautiful, and the willfully resistant apsects of our lives here in new orleans.
yes, i said 'resistant'. many who attend the parade work hard year-round to resist the oppressive forces of social normalcy, indoctrinated racism and homophobia, gentrification, corporatism, and ignorance that plague our city (and yours!). the myth of eris - who threw the apple of discord between three powerful and vainglorious goddesses, thereby instigating the trojan war - is often considered tantamount to an act of disharmony, discontent, and disapproval of the larger-than-life structures of power.
but political dissent is not the only reason that members of our community rally behind the krewe of eris. the aesthetic of the parade itself beckons to the local DIY movement. the opportunity to come together with close friends, gather discarded materials from all over the city, and assemble fantastic carnival regalia is a difficult one to turn down, to say the very least.
finally, to understand the eris parade, one must consider the larger culture of celebration within new orleans. it is unlike any other city on the planet for this reason - we spend considerable amounts of time and energy celebrating in a seemingly endless stream of holidays, feasts, and memorials. we march in the streets when we are full of happiness and wonder, we create spectacle to let everyone know that we are proud to be alive and full of creative energy. we also march when we are overcome with grief and sorrow, or when we wish to remember the dead. native new orleanians and transplants alike come together to enjoy these powerful affirmations with one another. and the eris parade, in the spirit of mardi gras, won't be contained or instructed how to celebrate.
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