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Flambeaux: Carriers of the Flame (35 images)

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The term "flambeau" (plural "flambeaux") refers to the torches used to illuminate a Mardi Gras parade and sometimes to the people that carry the devices. As Mardi Gras pre-dates the invention of electric street lighting, flambeau carriers have been illuminating the path for organized parades since their inception. The original flambeau carriers were slaves of the wealthy that organized the parades. After the abolition of slavery, the carriers continued to be all...
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