Mardi Gras In The Country - Tapa dura

Rather than throwing baubles and toys, maskers amuse families with their antics and dances. Marianne and Claude witness the traditions of le courir du Mardi Gras.

Mary Alice Fontenot (1910-2003) was born in Arcadia Parish and worked on her grandfather's Bayou Tigre farm in her youth. Fontenot spent thirty-five years as a journalist for multiple Louisiana publications and had a career as a kindergarten teacher. Named a Louisiana Legend by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and a Living Legend by the Arcadian Museum, she also received the 1998 Acadiana Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award. Fontenot wrote eighteen books for the Clovis Crawfish Series. The lush surroundings of his south Louisiana home and studio often influence the work of award-winning illustrator Patrick Soper. The work of Patrick Soper, a member of the Society of Illustrators, has appeared in national publications such as Outdoor Life, Organic Gardening, and West Coast Book Review. In addition to Cendrillon: A Cajun Cinderella, he has illustrated Cajun Folktales, Contes Populaires Cadiens, Mardi Gras in the Country, and A Christmas Dictionary, all published by Pelican.