In the early 1700’s France was struggling to populate Louisiana. The French forcibly emigrated prostitutes and “debauchees” from Paris to make up for the lack of people willing to live here. It was and still is a swamp and while many of us (present day) find it lovely here we share with our founding debauchees some of the same irritants that would prevent happy homesteading and general mirth. Chief among irritants of the swamp is, of course, the Mosquito.
Throughout history we have tried unsuccessfully to rid ourselves of this vexation. Repellants, nets, swatting, even screened in porches! But alas, our nights have been tormented again and again and nothing has alleviated our suffering until the implementation of capital punishement for this wretched creature, paying back the fever-spreading pest in measure commensurate with its heinous annoyances.
Seen here is the tiny float “The Invention of the Mosquito Guillotine”. It harkens back to those early days when Louisiana was still finding her identity, from Plaqemmines Parish to the French Quarter to Bayou Goula. The whores and bums and prisoners sent from France were all too pleased to witness the public slaying of these pests. Viva la severed mosquito head!
