New Orleans is often associated with the color purple for a few key reasons: the city’s strong Catholic heritage and Mardi Gras celebrations, the New Orleans Saints football team colors, and the flowers and plants that are commonly found in New Orleans. The color purple has become deeply ingrained in the culture and identity of New Orleans.
New Orleans’ Catholic Heritage
Purple is a liturgical color that is used to symbolize mourning, penance, and sacrifice in the Catholic Church. New Orleans has a very large and historic Catholic population going back to the city’s French and Spanish colonial roots. The Catholic heritage of New Orleans is reflected in the prevalence of purple used in the city’s traditions and celebrations.
During Lent, many New Orleans Catholic churches drape statues, crucifixes, and other religious symbols in purple as a sign of penance and solemnity during this period. The 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter are an important part of the Catholic liturgical calendar in New Orleans.
Furthermore, purple banners and altar cloths are used in Catholic ceremonies in New Orleans during Advent to signify a time of prayerful preparation. So the color purple is strongly associated with the spiritual identity of New Orleans.
Mardi Gras Traditions
Purple is one of the official Mardi Gras colors, along with green and gold. During the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras Day, the city is adorned with purple banners, decorations, costumes, and throws.
The traditional colors of Mardi Gras originated in 1872 when the Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff visited New Orleans for Carnival. The city decorated in the traditional colors of European royalty – purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.
Today, members of Mardi Gras krewes wear purple costumes and masks during the parade. Purple, green, and gold beads, doubloons, and other throws are tossed from the floats into the crowds. Many Mardi Gras cakes and treats like king cake are decorated in the signature colors.
The prevalence of purple during the Carnival season has helped associate the color with the lively spirit and celebrations of New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints Football
The NFL football team the New Orleans Saints uses black, old gold, and purple as their official team colors. Fans proudly wear Saints jerseys, hats, and decorate their homes and businesses with Saints banners and flags.
The dominance of Saints fandom across New Orleans means purple and black spirit wear can be seen year-round. When the Saints are playing home games, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome glows with Saints colors.
The Saints winning the Super Bowl XLIV championship in 2010 cemented purple and gold as symbolic colors of the city. The shared experience of dedicated Saints fandom is a point of cultural pride for New Orleans.
Flowers and Plants
There are many purple flowering plants that commonly grow in the warm, humid climate of New Orleans. These purple blooms can be seen adorning gardens, parks, streetscapes, and natural Louisiana landscapes.
Some purple flowers seen in New Orleans include:
| Flower | Appearance |
|---|---|
| Iris | Purple or blue flowering herbaceous perennial |
| Verbena | Purple trailing perennial herb |
| Periwinkle | Low growing vine with blue-purple flowers |
| Hydrangea | Shrub producing purple blooms in acid soil |
| Spider Lily | Purple tropical flower on long stems |
| Rose | Shrub with many varieties of purple roses |
The prevalence of purple flowers like iris and rose bushes enhances the violet landscape of New Orleans. These purple blooms offer beauty and contribute to the floral scents in the city.
Cuisine
The unique food culture of New Orleans also incorporates shades of purple through produce, dishes, and beverages. Examples include:
- Eggplant – Used in traditional Louisiana Creole and Cajun cooking
- Purple hull peas – Southern legume grown in the region
- Red beans and rice – Classic New Orleans dish made with purple kidney beans
- Sweet potatoes – Purple varieties used in pies, fries, and more
- Lavender beignets – Beignets dusted with lavender sugar at the famous Cafe Du Monde
- Hurricanes – The official New Orleans cocktail dyed purple
The use of purple ingredients offers a unique flair to New Orleans cuisine. Purple dishes and drinks have become symbolic of the city’s distinctive food traditions.
Music Scene
As a center of jazz, blues, and zydeco music, New Orleans has many ties to purple through musical artists and venues. For example:
- “Purple Haze” – Classic Jimi Hendrix song referencing purple psychedelic lyrics
- “Purple Rain” – 1984 song by Prince that became an anthem after his 2016 death
- Tipitina’s Uptown – Legendary New Orleans music club known for its purple facade
- Iris DeMent – American singer-songwriter with several songs inspired by New Orleans
- The Color Purple soundtrack – Music from the film recorded live in New Orleans
Purple is woven into the stories, songs, and spaces that have shaped New Orleans’ famed music scene. The color is associated with creativity and expression through legendary songs and iconic venues.
Business Names and Branding
The use of purple in company names and branding reflects how the color has been adopted as part of the New Orleans identity. Some examples include:
- Purple Drink – Popular daiquiri chain named for the hue of their signature drink
- IRIS – Nonprofit organization aiding New Orleans culture and education
- The Violet Hour – Cocktail bar with purple lighting
- Sundrop Flowers – Florist specializing in purple blooms
- Delachaise Dames – Mardi Gras marching troupe in purple costumes
Incorporating purple into New Orleans businesses helps connect them to the cultural associations with the color in the city. It signals a brand identity linked to the spirit of New Orleans.
Tourism Industry
The tourism industry in New Orleans widely uses purple in marketing materials, brand identities, and merchandise aimed at visitors. Examples include:
- New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau – Uses purple in their logos and ads
- Purple tour buses – Many companies use purple buses to transport tourists
- Purple souvenirs – Such as magnets, shirts, hats, beads, etc.
- Purple streetcar lines – Such as the Famous Streetcar NOLA lines down St. Charles
Purple has become strategic to New Orleans tourism as it reflects the quintessential visual identity of the city. Associating attractions with purple helps reinforce New Orleans’ brand and culture.
Historic Flags
Some historic flags associated with New Orleans history incorporated the color purple, such as:
- Louisiana Purchase Exposition flags (1903) – Purple and yellow stripes commemorated the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
- Flag of New Orleans (c. 1915) – Contained purple bands signifying justice, loyalty, and power.
- 1976 United States Bicentennial flag – Purple represented Louisiana as the 18th state.
Use of purple on these historic banners connected the color with the heritage of the city and state of Louisiana.
Conclusion
In summary, New Orleans has several cultural ties that explain the city’s strong association with the color purple. The Catholic roots, Mardi Gras traditions, local sports teams, flowers, cuisine, music, businesses, tourism industry, and historic symbolism all incorporate shades of purple. Over time, the vibrant color has become an iconic visual representation of New Orleans identity and culture.