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About
A Brief History of Mardi Gras
Most people believe that Mardi Gras is a New Orleans invention, but as many of our Krewe who were raised in and around Mobile, Alabama know, that is just not the case. Mardi Gras was observed for the first time in the New World in 1703 by French pioneers at Twenty-Seven Mile Bluff, the first settlement of Mobile.
In 1711, the Mobile Carnival was officially born when a papier-mâché bull, in honor of Boeuf Gras (French, meaning ‘Fatted Ox’) – a traditional 16th century pre-Lenten feast, was pulled down the city’s main street in what was the first Carnival “parade” in North America. Not only was Mobile first in parades, but also founded the first masked parading society, “Cowbellian de Rakin” which began in 1830. An important point is that “Cowbellian de Rakin” is not French, not even close, instead it is a parody name for “Cowbell Ringers who carry Rakes”, but changed to sound French. So there in-lies the true nature of any “Mystic Society” (Mardi Gras Krewe), that of humor and parody!
The Mystic Order of The Krewe Of Bon Temps Cabrix (French meaning ‘Good Time Goats’) carries on that noble tradition of humor and parody, only our mascots are Goats (Cabrix). So you might wonder “Why Goats”? Well, that is a story about our home (see below).
Ono Island
Ono Island was first discovered by the Spanish in the late 1400’s. The island lies just north of Perdido Key, a natural barrier island in Florida. Ono is approximately 5.5 miles long with Ole River bordering on the south side of the island and Bayou St. John and the Intracoastal Waterway on the northern shores of this coastal paradise.
The western tip is approximately 500 yards from the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, but that wasn’t always the case. Prior to 1916 the inlet was at the state line of Florida and Alabama, a mile to the east. In 1916 a hurricane swept through Perdido Key and when it subsided, the inlet had moved a mile to the west.
As the story goes, the Florida Legislature argued that the state line should be moved to the new inlet location and the Island become part of Florida. The Alabama lawmakers voiced objections in a Montgomery newspaper headline: “Oh-No, Florida Is Not Getting The Island” – and they didn’t. From that day forward, the Island called “Goat Island” by locals who raised their goats there, became known as Ono Island.
In 1945, John Calhoun Golightly, a banker from Birmingham was sent to Baldwin County to check out some “swamp” property listed in an estate sale. Not long after, he and 2 friends threw in $1,000 each and bought 1/3 of the Island. When he retired in 1963, Golightly rented a house in Pensacola and started to carry building materials and a generator over to the Island by boat. He built his own house with no TV and no telephone. John “Pappy” Golightly lived a solitary life until 1973 when a land developer built a bridge to the Island and began selling lots.
Today Ono “Goat” Island is the home to over 900 families who enjoy the most beautiful Island in America and the home of The Mystic Order of The Krewe of Bon Temps Cabrix!
The Krewe of Bon Temps Cabrix
Organization
The Bon Temps Cabrix (BTC) is an incorporated non-profit parading Mardi Gras society whose members must be property owners on Ono Island. The name, Bon Temps Cabrix, means Good Times Goats. How we got our name, as you know is a very long story (read above). Currently, there are approximately 130 members.
Officers
Our organization consists of eight officers and our Krewe members. The officers make up the board: President presides over the board meetings; VP is responsible for new members plus the King and Queen elections; Secretary maintains all the minutes of the Krewe; Treasurer is responsible for financial records and pays the bills; Social Chair is responsible for all social activities of the Krewe; Parade Chair is responsible for the floats and the parade; Parliamentarian makes sure all rules and by-laws of the Krewe are followed, and the Ball Chair is responsible for organizing the Mardi Gras Ball. The officers serve one-year terms and are elected at the Annual Meeting in April.
Mardi Gras Parading Season
The Bon Temps Cabrix was created in 1995 as a Mardi Gras Parading Krewe for Ono Island. Although it was created for Mardi Gras, the BTC Krewe has a themed social event about once a month. We normally hold the parties at Harriet Cockrell Center (HCC), making socializing convenient for the Krewe. During the Mardi Gras season, we have a Mardi Gras Ball, a Royal Brunch, and we ride in the Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade.
Mardi Gras Ball – The ball is a formal event requiring tuxedos and long gowns. At the beginning of the evening, the Coronation is held to crown the King and Queen who were nominated by the Krewe and the results are kept secret. The new King and Queen are revealed to the Krewe during the coronation. Once the King and Queen are crowned, they serve the Krewe until the next year’s ball.
Parading – The BTC Krewe parades on Mardi Gras Day. Members can ride the float(s) or be a walker for the float(s). Before parading, the Krewe has a good time decorating the float(s) for the festivities.
