Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a phenomenon that is difficult to discuss as a unified thing. Mardi Gras means different things to different people, with families celebrating differently from single people, white differently from black, and rich differently from poor. In light of these divisions, we can look at one component of Mardi Gras: Mardi Gras Indians. There are more than 25 Mardi Gras Indian tribes in New Orleans, and as such, it will be impossible to do anything other than generalize. Please forgive any oversimplification.
The first Mardi Gras Indian tribe was the Creole Wild West, formed in the mid to late 1880s. There are two versions of the origin myths of this tribe. Some speculate that black men saw representatives of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, which was in New Orleans in 1884 and 1885, dressed in Plains Indian garb and modeled their own attire after them. Others refute this somewhat facile story and argue that the original founder of the Creole Wild West was the great uncle of Tootie Montana (Big Chief of the Yellow Pocahontas tribe from 1947 until 1997) and that this man was of mixed black and Indian descent and was creating a movement for others like him to express their cultural heritage, and to pay homage to the long-standing relationship between Africans and Native populations in the United States. Indian costuming is also a feature of many carnival celebrations in the Caribbean and Latin America. This is a point often referred to when attempts are made to link New Orleans to the survival of non-American activities that make it culturally distinct from the rest of the United States.
Tootie Montana is one among many, though he may be the most famous, Big Chiefs. He held the title longer than any other Big Chief in history, and he was a vocal agitator for the rights of the members of his community, both within the tribe and in the larger community that the tribe represents. Tootie Montana’s untimely death of a heart attack at a City Council meeting dealing with allegations of police misconduct against the Mardi Gras Indians during their St. Joseph’s Day celebrations is emblematic, in a morbid sense, of his dedication to his community.
Click here for a detailed account of Tootie Montana’s life (including photos), as well as some background on the history of the Mardi Gras Indians.
Mardi Gras Indian suits are complex and time-consuming creations. Most often, one year’s costume is broken down to be reassembled into a wholly new creation for the following Mardi Gras. The sewing process begins long before Mardi Gras, is performed by the men of the tribe themselves, is the subject of many Mardi Gras Indian songs, and ends some time right before it’s time to hit the street on Mardi Gras morning. Each tribe picks the theme, some, like Victor Harris’ Spirit of Fi-ya-ya Indians mask in a more typically African style, while others prefer the Plains Indian style begun by the Creole Wild West in the late 19th century.
Mardi Gras Indians have a unique style of singing, battling, and speaking, including their mysterious language that is difficult to translate directly. Some argue that this language is derived from the language used by the Native Americans who aided escaped slaves in the Louisiana swamps. Others say it’s simply made up. Either way, the words do not have exact meanings to anyone but the Mardi Gras Indians who use them.
The Mardi Gras Indian tribes continue to mask each year, and their traditions continue to be a source of pride for insiders and fascination for outsiders. As a result of this, Mardi Gras Indians continue to represent their communities’ legacy of resistance to slavery, to violence, poverty in the context of one of the biggest celebrations in the world.
Thanks to LL in NO for the submission.
1 comment:
Nice photos...
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