LAFAYETTE, La (KLFY) – Students at Truman Early Childhood Education Center spent Friday morning being immersed in the rich Louisiana culture.

The children took part in a traditional Courir de Mardi Gras, a cultural event that the students have been studying about all throughout this month.

“When I started working here I thought that we should expose the children to the traditional, country Courir de Mardi Gras culture that happens in rural Cajun and Creole communities around Acadiana,” said event organizer, Daniel Gale.

Gale says the Truman tradition is now entering its fourth year and the students are enjoying the culture.

“We went to the parade to get some ingredients,” said Truman student, Paris Padio. “To make our gumbo,” added another Truman student, Carsen Thibodeaux.

Dressed up in masks and costumes, the students parade through the breezeways, catch the excitement of their teachers in the chicken run, before begging their hearts out.

“They would go from house to house collecting their gumbo ingredients, which is a snack mix, and then they would take their ingredients back to a picnic area and mix up their snack together and enjoy, then come back and dance,” said Gale.

Gale says his main focus is making sure the children know there’s more to Mardi Gras then parades, floats, and beads.

“I want them to have fun and I want them to appreciate the culture that’s in their backyard that some of them may even be apart of without realizing it,” said Gale.

The project was funded by the Lafayette Parish School System.