Book launch at Fred’s Lounge at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20

Courir, 128-page book published in France with photographs depicting Mardi Gras runs in rural Acadiana, will be on sale at a book launch held at Fred’s Lounge, 420 6th St. in Mamou, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20.
Olivier Duport, co-founder of the FLEE Project, a Paris-based group that documents unique cultures worldwide, selected the photographs for the book from an extensive archive of photographs taken over the last 30 years by David Simpson, who in 2009 retired from LSU at Eunice, where he was public relations director and taught English. Alan Marzo, another FLEE co-founder, is joining Duport on the tour.
The Flee Project distributed the following promotional announcement about the book in conjunction with a launch tour that will also include stops in New Orleans, New York City, and several cities in Europe:
“Every year, as Ash Wednesday approaches, rural communities in Southwest Louisiana come alive with Mardi Gras courirs – spirited runs where costumed revelers embark on a captivating journey.
“David Simpson, through his lens, captures the enchanting Mardi Gras in a photographic narrative, as they go from house to house, singing, dancing, and begging for ingredients to create a communal gumbo. The rich symbolism behind the costumes, from high-pointed conical hats parodying noble headdresses to handmade masks concealing identities with exaggerated facial features, is a passionate portrayal of roles that mock authority, a tradition deeply rooted in Cajun and Creole heritages in a compiled archival work by David Simpson spanning over thirty years.
“Amidst the festive quest and perhaps fueled by a bit of alcohol, the Mardi Gras participants find liberation from the restraints of everyday life, creating a gaudy pageant that is both raucous and jubilant based on rural traditions dating back to medieval times. This photography work stands as a homage to their time-honored tradition.”