In the Cajun communities of western Louisiana, Mardi Gras is celebrated a little differently from the parades and balls held in the cities. People have just as much fun participating in the Courir de Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday run.
Read about the origins of chicken chasing at AOL News. Link
Starting at 6 a.m. on fat Tuesday, more than 2,000 runners gather in the center of Eunice, La., wearing colorful frayed costumes, masks made of wire mesh and pointy hats called "capuchons," for the annual "Courir de Mardi Gras" -- the Mardi Gras run.
From the center of town, they climb on horses and flatbed trucks for a daylong drunken adventure through the countryside. Traditionally, people went from house to house gathering ingredients for a grand gumbo (today, they just make the gumbo downtown) fit for carnival. The runners will sing, dance and make a general spectacle of themselves to collect food.
Sometimes, the gift comes in the form of a live chicken thrown into the field for participants on foot and horseback to chase. The result is less than orderly, because a beer truck is flanking the run at all times.
Read about the origins of chicken chasing at AOL News. Link
Who Dat and Happy Mardi Gras!!
awww poor chickens. boo whooo. This is not animal cruelty. At least they get to run around unlike the mass produced chickens. These chickens serve their purpose later on anyways. They are eaten and enjoyed. In the life of a chicken, I'd call that success.