Who are the Muses?
We Celebrate Women of Legend, Women of Art, Women of History, Women of New Orleans.
To the people of New Orleans they are street names, often mispronounced. In Greek mythology the nine Muses were the daughters of Zeus. Their mother is Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Muses were wild until reformed by Apollo, who tamed them and taught them ways to express themselves.
Initially, the Muses didn't have personalities or names, but later they were all assigned names and specific virtues. Clio was the Muse of history, Urania of astronomy, Euterpe of lyric poetry, Polyhymnia of songs to the gods, Melpomene of tragedy, Thalia of comedy, Terpsichore of dance, Calliope of epic poetry, and Erato of love poetry.
They will gather for Mardi Gras 2002 and celebrate the legend of the Nine Muses. They will celebrate their wildness before they were tamed, their virtues after they were appointed and their place in the mystique of New Orleans, where each virtue seems to thrive.
2003 Throws
Keep your arms up and eyes open for special 2003 throws! This year you can catch blue and green beaded can holders, new little beaded Muse purses with long straps, a special Museology polystone bead, Muses signature blue doubloons, makeup brushes and compact, Muses blue teddy bears, history beads featuring the special throws of the past 3 years strung together and Muses 2003 strappy black shoe bead – to name just a few of the fabulous throws of 2003!
The Muses and the Community
One of the goals of the Muses from the first Krewe meeting in 2000 was to create an organization deeply involved in the community. As they did for their charter year the Muses chose to hold a contest for the design of the official krewe cup. Entries were sent to New Orleans are public schools.
The 2003 Cup contest winner is Arwen Byrd, age 15! (she will be seated at Gallier Hall with her family) and she is a student at Ben Franklin High School. The Krewe of Muses is proud to have donated $500 to Ben Franklin as a result of Arwen winning this contest!
To enhance community involvement the Krewe of Muses also works with different groups on the decoration of the masks for the riders. Members visit homes and hospices in the greater New Orleans area and reach out to invoplve the community in the parade! As each float is mentioned we will also mention who did the mask projects.
And the final community involvement was inspired by the Muses themselves. Beginning in 2002 the krewe of Muses decided to elect, with the help of suggestions from the community, an honorary Muse. This year’s muses is Thersichore – the Muse of dance. To honor Tersichore the krewe has donated $1000 to NORD/NOBA. And riding as honorary Muse in the parade is Maria Giacobbe, founder of the Delta Festival Ballet – Terpsichore for a night!
- S. Marine Corp Band
- New Orleans Circus School & Walking Heads (Crescent City Artist)
- Horse unit – Stepping in Style Horse Riders
- Flambeaux
Float 1 – The Muses 2003 (Muses Officers)
The Captain and Nine Muses lead the 640 riding members of the Krewe of Muses parade. The entire organization is not over 700 members strong.
The Captain of the Krewe of Muses is in the first position of the float. The nine Muses are Clio was the Muse of history, Urania of astronomy, Euterpe of lyric poetry, Polyhymnia of songs to the gods, Melpomene of tragedy, Thalia of comedy, Terpsichore of dance, Calliope of epic poetry, and Erato of love poetry.
“We are all of one heart – free of care. When a muse is around there are no trouble there.
The Muses set their hearts upon song and their spirits are free. Seems Muses is just exactly what Mardi Gras needs. Not a soul shall feel sorrow, no one shall be glum…watch out New Orleans because here we come.”
To toast the Muses in the words of Hesiod: Happy are they whom the Muses love
- Band – St. Augustine Marching 100
Float 2 – Museology 2003 (Muses Title Float)
We all know of the most popular gods of Mount Olympus – all of Zeus’ favorites like Bacchus – God of Wine, Orpheus, God of Music, Venus, Goddess of Love. This yeas the Muses discover the Less Known Gods and Goddesses…those left out of the Mythology books for far too long.
Masks for this float were decorated by the Metropolitan Battered Women’s Shelter.
Honorary Muse – Terpsichore — Maria Giacobbe
Maria is founder of the Delta Festival Ballet and has been teaching dance in New Orleans since 1943. She is a native of our fair city and we are proud to honor her tonight as the Muse of Dance!
- Band – John F Kennedy Marching Band
- Flambeaux
Float 2a – Mount Olympus Brass Band (Coolbone)
In mythology the Muses danced and frolicked on Mount Olympus. Tonight they frolic and celebrate on the streets of New Orleans to the Jazz sounds New Orleans own Coolbone.
- Horse Unit – Crescent City Cowboys
Float 3 – Cirrhosis – Bacchus’ Less Attractive Brother
He is the God of cheap wine and perhaps too much of it – Cirrhosis! Bacchus’ less attractive brother is the first of the less known discovered by Museology! And just in time for Mardi Gras celebrations. All Hail Cirrhosis!
Masks for this float were decorated by Sunrise Assisted Living.
- Band - George W. Carver Marching Band
Float 4 – Orifice – God of Gaps
Orifice is the God of Gaps – shown here flashing the gap in his pearly whites he also represents the gap that can occurred in the middle of many a parade. All Hail Orifice!
Masks for this float were decorated by Lambeth House.
- Band – O. P. Walker Marching Band
Float 5 – Endynewmoneyn – God of Super Sizing
All Hail Endynewmoneyn – God Of Super-sizing and super flash! This is the God that not only truly knows how to put on a show but how to go completely over the top with glitz and glamour and celebrity!
Masks for this float were decorated by Woldenberg Village.
- Band – Joseph S. Clark Marching Band
Float 6 – Neurato & Complainia – The Forgotten Muses
In the mocking world of Museology no one is safe – not even the Muses themselves. We know of the first 9 Muses but here are two forgotten Muses. Neurato – who seems to be freaking out about something – and Complaining who always has something to say. We can’t understand how Apollo could have let these two get away!
Masks for this float were decorated by Lazarus House.
- Band — Fannie C. Williams Marching Band
Float 7 – Rexcess – God for Too Much Celebration!
All Hail Rexcess – This is the god who celebrates and celebrates and celebrates – all the way up to Mardi Gras Day! Had he now been forgotten from Mythology he could have easily been the God of New Orleans! The float bares his favorite slogan – “If ever I cease to drink.”
Masks for this float were decorated by the Chateau de Notre Dame.
- Band — Israel Augustine Middle Marching Band
- Horse unit – Midnight Riders
Float 8 – Protedious – God of Obscure Themes
Have you ever looks at a parade theme and felt you needed a Phd to understand it? You were in the presence of Protedious. He is the olden day god of obscure themes like “The Tartans of Robert the Bruce” or “The use of metaphor in Beowulf.” He holds an encyclopedia under one arm and one pitiful strand of beads in the other. But the women riding this float are certainly generous. All Hail Protedious!
Masks for this float were decorated by The Poydras Home.
- Band – Thurgood Marshall Middle School
Float 9 – Exposia – Goddess of Tourists and Trash
She could be the Goddess watching over the French Quarter each Mardi Gras. She is Exposia – Goddess of Tourists and Trash – counted by the tonnage of course! This is the real Girl Gone Wild – but her exposure is being censored by the NOPD! All Hail Exposia….
Masks for this float were decorated by the Audubon Senior Center.
- Dance Group – Wright Middle School Dance Team
Float 10 – GoHomus – God of Spoiled Sports
GoHomus – God of Spoiled Sports seems to be getting a message from above…”take your ball and go home boys!” I wonder who that could be! All Hail GoHomus!
Masks for this float were decorated by Jefferson Parish Care Center.
- Band – Rebirth Brass Band and The Lady Buckjumpers
Float 11 – Germes & Viris – Gods of Infectious Love
They are a match made on Mount Olympus – Germes and Viris and their love is contagious – but you might not want to catch it! All Hail Germes and Viris.
Masks for this float were decorated by St. Francis Villa.
Float 11a – Honoring Muses in the Military
For Our Muse Sisters
dedicated to serving our country and unable to ride with us tonight:
Major Raquel “Rocky” Deckert, United States Marine Corps and Airman First Class Minka Stoyanov, United States Air Force
Float 12 – Tuckus – God of Keg Parties
Many have hailed Tuckus in this town – he is the God of keg parties and fraternity boys– and from the looks of it he is the horny god. Raise a beer and all hail Tuckus!
Masks for this float were decorated by the Covenant/Bethany Home.
Float 12a Band — Executive Steel Float
Float 13 – Not-So-Ancient Newids – God-Like Wannabes
A Museolgy lesson would not be complete without a study of the Not-so-ancient Newids – godlike wannabes striving since pagan times to be like the other gods. This is the spoofiest of spoofs since without the “Newids” the Muses would not role! All Hail the Newids!
Masks for this float were decorated by Touro Senior Day Care Center
- Drill Team – Pussyfooters
Float 14 – Zulonia – God of Unnatural Disasters
He is the God of Unnatural Disasters - from flat tires to broken teeth to brand identity theft by crazed Baton Rouge pie makers! All Hail Zulonia!
Masks for this float were decorated by YWCA Battered Womens Shelter
- Band – Pinettes Brass Band Float
- Horse unit – Buffalo Soldiers
Float 15 – Suburberus – Guardian of the City Limits
In Greek Mythology we studied of Cerberus –the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of hell. Well meet Suburberus. This three-headed dog guards the City Limits – with the help of the city ordinance! And what do the tags around their necks say? It looks like Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany.
Masks for this float were decorated by Grace House.
- Band – Mo’lasses
Float 16 – Anarchia – God of Upstarts
He’s the naughty boy of Mount Olympus – Anarchia – the God of Upstarts. And he has been looking at new names for his krewe-like Bedlam, Pandemonium or the 4th Reich. And they are checking their poke-fun-at-list as well – looks like this year Anarchia is making fun of the mayor, the police, the little sisters of the poor and orphans – but lawyers is scratched off. Wouldn’t you know? It’s all in good fun so all hail Anarchia.
Masks for this float were decorated by Odyssey House.
- Band — St. Charles Streetcar Jazz Band
Float 17 – Canalarhea – Goddess of Secrets
Here is a Goddess who has something to hide…. it’s Canalarhea – Goddess of Secrets and it looks like she has quite a list in her hands – and who is that under her bed? All Hail Canalarhea – goddess of well-kept secrets!
Masks for this float were decorated by St. Anna’s Home.
- Band – Pink Slip Float
Float 18 – Toeth – God of Foot Fetishes
Ahh! How could Museology forget Toeth – the often-mispronounced Egyptian God of foot fetishes? The Muses are well known for their love of shoes so a lesson in lesser-known gods could not be complete without Toeth! All Hail Toeth!
Masks for this float were decorated by Kingsley House.
- Band – Riverside Ramblers
Float 19 – Jerkules – God of Ex-Boyfriends
We all know him – Jerkules – God of Ex-Boyfriends! His favorite lines are “it’s no you – it’s me” and “I can still look can’t I?” or “it didn’t mean a thing!” Ladies — beware of Jerkules!
Masks for this float were decorated by Kingsley House.
- Band – Ninth Ward Marching Band
Float 20 – Saburn – God of Flaming Kings
Last year this lesser know God came to our attention for the first time – on a cold and rainy night just before the Muses parade of 2002. He is Saburn – God of Flaming Kings…and he looks hot. On the side of the float we see the Ladies in Waiting to this king and they look like cold and wet and annoyed Muses! They don’t look too happy to be in waiting! But it’s in the past so all hail Saburn – God of flaming kings!
Masks for this float were decorated by The Broad Street Care Center
- Horse unit – Horsewomen of the Muses
Float 21 – Sirens à Trois
When we see the siren we know the Muses parade is coming to an end. In mythology the Sirens were cast out by the Muses – forced to leave Mount Olympus and the Gods’ world. We are forced to say good night. After Muses First Time our Siren said “Was That It?” And when the Muses reached the Terrible Twos she said “It’s always better the second time. Tonight our siren tells us “Third Time’s The Charm!” And she is certainly right! All Hail the Krewe of Muses 2003!
Masks for this float were decorated by Greenwalt Alzheimers Center.
And the Muses would like to extend special thanks to the New Orleans Police Department for their continued support and outstanding service to all of the people of New Orleans and the krewes of Mardi Gras!