David Bertrand; Jefferson Davis Parish Bio, Louisiana
Submitted by Kathy LaCombe-Tell
Source: Louisiana Folklife Database maintained by the Louisiana Regional
Folklife Program, Region 2, at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. 
These biographies offer information to the general public. 
Submitted September 2004

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David Bertrand
Cajun Mardi Gras Run

David Bertrand was born in 1955, and presently lives in Elton, Louisiana. He is 
the fifth generation of his family to farm rice and raise cattle in Elton. With 
his wife, he is the owner of Estherwood Rice/Bertrand Rice. He is an expert rice 
farmer, miller, and a talented artist. David makes hand painted rice bags 
featuring his sketches of the local Mardi Gras runs. He is also a skilled 
woodworker and makes handmade wooden boxes.
 
In the early 20th century the rural Mardi Gras tradition was very strong in 
Elton. The town hosted two Mardi Gras runs each year. One which ran north of 
town and one that ran south of town. By the time David was a young man, the 
local Mardi Gras run had disappeared. David Bertrand says, "about a half a dozen 
years ago, we wanted to start running again, because everybody from our town was 
scattering to run in Mamou, Oberlin, and in Eunice. Everybody was scattering and 
we were losing our traditional run at home. We were very fortunate to find some 
of the elderly people who had run in 1925 to give us an oral history of the 
tradition at the time. In 1996, we ran the same route that they ran in 1925, 
making the same stops, and trying to keep in real tradition."

The all male run travels on horseback through the countryside and into Elton. 
The riders are dressed in tall, pointed hats called capuchons, fringed Mardi 
Gras suits in bright colors, and screen masks. The leader of the run, the 
capitaine, carries a braided whip, or quoit, made from a burlap sack. When the 
procession stops at a house, the captain approaches to ask permission from the 
homeowner for the Mardi Gras to visit. When permission is given, the riders 
dismount and crawl towards the house on hands and knees, whooping loudly. They 
then dance for their hosts in exchange for the gift of a live chicken, rice, 
other ingredients for their gumbo, or money. Before leaving, they invite their 
hosts to come share their gumbo that evening.
 
Mr. Bertrand and other community members continue to make their Mardi Gras run 
in Elton each season.