The smell of bourbon, the sea, and sweat. Roars of laughter, singing and the sound of the tails snapping off of crawfish. Old friends embracing each other and families reuniting. Crawfish boils are a place where people come together to enjoy the little things in life. In my experience what people perceive crawfish boils to be is mostly accurate: dozens of people hoarding around a pile of food, dancing, singing, and of course, drinking. But you can’t fully comprehend how magical a crawfish boil is until you attend one yourself. 

Prior to the 1960’s crawfish were seen as a poor man’s food. It wasn’t until recently that crawfish boils were seen among people of all backgrounds and classes. Today, crawfish boils are a mandatory event every spring. Crawfish boils have gained popularity partly because of the food  (cheap, delicious, and filling) but mainly because of the family gathering aspect of the event. In the South, spring time is the prime time for social gatherings. Mardi Gras, arguably the most important event of the year (event more important than Christmas for some families), is a week-long festival that takes place before Ash Wednesday. It is a time to enjoy rich food and family gatherings before the Christian Lent season. Crawfish boils allow people to do just that, enjoy good food and good company during the Mardi Gras celebrations. Crawfish have become a southern, more specially Cajun, symbol for community. When I smell the large piles of crawfish on dozens of tables, hear screams of laughter and people rejoicing in each other’s company, I know that I am home. 

This is a picture of my uncle boiling crawfish. My family both holds and attends several crawfish boils every year.