A mystic society is a

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fa ...

social organization in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Alabama ...

, that presents parades and/or balls for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. The New Orleans

Krewe A krewe (pronounced "crew") is a social organization that puts on a parade or ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations ar ...

is patterned after Mobile's Mystics."Carnival/Mobile Mardi Gras Timeline" (list of events),The Museum of Mobile, 2002, webpag
MoM-timeline
(link dead) archive
Archived page
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 Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...

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 The doubloon (from Spanish ''doblón'', or "double", i.e. ''double escudo'') was a two-''escudo'' gold coin worth approximately $4 (four Spanish dollars) or 32 '' reales'', and weighing 6.766 grams (0.218 troy ounce) of 22-karat gold (or 0.917 fi ...

s, cups, hats, can coolers,

Frisbee A frisbee (pronounced ), also called a flying disc or simply a disc, is a gliding toy or sporting item that is generally made of injection molded, injection-molded plastic and roughly in diameter with a pronounced lip. It is used recreational ...

s, medallion necklaces, bead necklaces of every variety, and Moon Pies. Mystic societies in Mobile give formal

masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or ''bal masqué'') is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. (Compare the word " masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal " costume parties" may be a descendant of this t ...

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 A (; often shortened to ; plural: ), French for "living picture", is a static scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or scenery, and may be theatrica ...

. Much of the memorabilia from these occasions can be viewed at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

History

Mobile first celebrated Carnival in 1703 when French settlers began the festivities at the Old Mobile Site. Mobile's first informal Carnival society was organized in 1711 with the ''Boeuf Gras Society'' (Fatted Ox Society). 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 (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, 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 The Striker's Independent Society (S.I.S.) is the oldest continuously active mystic society in Mobile, founded in 1843 (during Mobile's first American period), Alabama. Mobile's Mardi Gras history spans over 300 years, as customs changed with t ...

'' 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''.Arthur B. LaCour, ''New Orleans Masquerade: Chronicles of Carnival'' (Pelican Publishing 1952) Carnival celebrations in Mobile were cancelled during the American Civil War. Mobile Mardi Gras 2010 55

Mardi Gras parades were revived in Mobile after the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

by Joe Cain in 1867, when he paraded through the city streets on

Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fa ...

while costumed as a fictional

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classif ...

chief named ''Slacabamorinico''. He irreverently celebrated the day in front of occupation

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

troops. "Joe Cain Articles" (newspaper story), Joe Danborn & Cammie East, ''Mobile Register'', 2001, webpage:
CMW-history
. The ''

Order of Myths The Order of Myths, founded in 1867, "Mobile's Mardi Gras" (article), Encyclopedia of Alabama, January 2008 (revised 19 January 2010), webpage: -->Article.jsp?id=h-1437 EncAla-1437 is the second oldest mystic society to celebrate Mar ...

'', 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 is a relatively recently popularized name for a series of Shrove Monday events taking place during the Mardi Gras. It includes the tradition of Rex, king of the New Orleans carnival, and Zulu King arriving by boat. This began in 1874, ...

(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). Mobile Mardi Gras 2010 25

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 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'' 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 ...

''. 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): *Apostles of Apollo *Ancient Society of Mystics *Belles and Beaux *Blue Birds *Boeuf Gras Society *

Cain's Merry Widows The Mardi Gras mystic society of Cain’s Merry Widows (a women’s mystic society) was founded in 1974 in Mobile, Alabama, home of the first Mardi Gras in America (1703). "History timeline of Mardi Gras" (events), Museum of Mobile, 2007, we ...

*Cain's Twelfth Night Society *Chickasaw War Party *Comic Cowboys *Comrades Club *Conde Cavaliers *Conde Explorers *Continental Mystic Crew *Court of Isabella *Cowbellion de Rakin Society *Crewe of Columbus *Dominoes *Don Donas *Emeralds *Etruscans *Fifty Funny Fellows *Follies *Followers of Apolla *Forty-Niners *Harlequins *Imperial Fun Makers *Independent Fun Lovers *Infant Mystics
Joe Cain Marching Society
*Jokers Wild *Kickshaw Society *Knights of Daze *Knights of Ebony *Knights of Folly *Knights of Glory *Knights of Joy *Knights of May Zulu Club *Knights of Mobile *Knights of Pegasus *Knights of Revelry *Krewe of Admiral Semmes *Krewe of Columbus *Krewe of Don Q *Krewe of Elks *Krewe of Marry Mates *Krewe of Mohomet *Krewe of Phoenix *Krewe of Venus *La Luna Servante *Le Krewe de Bienville *Les Bons Vivants *Les Femmes Cassettes *Maids of Mirth *Marquis de Lafayette Societie *Mardi Gras Pilgrims *Masters of the Old World *Merry Evening Maskers *MiKrafft Association (MKA) *Midnight Maskers *Midnight Merry Makers *Midnight Mystics *Mistresses of Joe Cain *Mobile Married Mystics *Mobile Mystics *Mobile Rifles *Monday Evening Maskers *Monday Mystics *Mystic Krewe of Myrthe *Mystic Krewsaders *Mystic Maskers *Mystic Stripers Society *Mobile's Mystical Ladies *Mystics *Mystics of Time *Mystical Belles *Neptune's Daughters *Nereides *New Mobilians *Order of Angels *Order of Athena *Order of Butterfly Maidens *Order of Dead Rock Stars *Order of Doves *Order of Dragons *Order of Druids *Order of Imps *Order of Inca *Order of Isis *Order of Jesters *Order of Juno *Order of LaShe's *Order of Mardi Gras Maskers *

*Order of Orioles *Order of Osiris *Order of Outowners *Order of Pan *Order of Polka Dots *Order of Shiners *Order of Venus *Original Dragons *Original Social Utopia Club *Pharaohs *Phifty Phunny Phellows *Pierrettes *Resurrected Cowbellion de Rakin Society *S.C.S. a.k.a. Santa Claus Society *Sauvettes Social Club *Sirens *Sons and Daughters of Joe Cain *Sons of Cyreniac *Sons of Saturn *Spinsters *Strikers Club *

*Strikers Social Club *Tea Drinker's Society *Thalians *The Tillmans Tricksters *The Tombstone Kids *Utopia Club

History

Past and present societies

References

Further reading