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"Indians of New Orleans"
"A Celebration of African Culture"
Artist - Benford Davis
This print is intended to both spotlight and salute all of those practitioners past present and future who keep alive the indigenous cultural tradition known today as "masking indian" a sacred ritual rooted in the first religion of Africans - voodoo.
A tradition once confined to only African-American communities of our city is now beginning to once again blossom like an African violet ready to claim its rightful place in the world garden. Mardi Gras Indians can be seen and heard performing their funky "Indian music" at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. It is a music that is timeless and uniquely African in style and sound.
The affection of African Americans for Native Americans dates back to the 1780s when Africans from various parts of the continent had been transported to New Orleans. These Africans would gather by the hundreds to sing, drum and dance in their traditional style. Sunday afternoons were the time for it at a place called Congo Plains (now the site of the Louis Armstrong Park). Indian villages were located on the outskirts of the Plains. Historians who search for the beginnings of this unique blending of culture have established several links between Africans and Native Americans. What is known is that a number of run-aways, some freed men of color and some of the Africans bought out of slavery by Indian tribes, such as the Choctaws and Chickasaws in Louisiana, found a degree of comfort and stability within the communities of the Native Americans.
Additional research underscores the fact that many of these runaways and freed men and women in fact intermarried with tribe members and, strongly identifying with Indian resistance against white subjugation, fought side-by-side with them. Both Native Americans and Africans shared a reverence for the struggle of their ancestors, a strong belief in the celebration of seasonal changes (i.e., close ties to nature), and the use of ritual costumes. It is a West African tradition to signal respect for one's host by dressing like them at ritual celebrations. There is strong evidence that the costumes of modern day Mardi Gras Indians are a cross between African ritual costumes and Native American costumes--the long braided wigs, the reference to and wearing of crowns, the beaded and feathered costumes, the use of moccasin-style footwear. A blending of two cultures has spawned a unique, new tradition. Such is the foundation of the Mardi Gras Indians. The old is becoming new again.
Despite a new, high profile visibility, the ranks of the tribes or "gangs" are decreasing. A generation ago Mardi Gras Indians in gangs of twenty or more took to the streets of New Orleans on Carnival Day practice of "confrontation" today is the word for friendly competition. The competition is rooted in the music, the suits, the style, the dancing and the "prettiest" gang. For reasons of money, time and other communities of the older members, the tradition has lost many of its practitioners.
Money, of course, is a big reason for the decline of tribes' membership. Tradition requires all who "mask Indian" to make a "new suit" or costume each year. A suit that once cost $1000 can now cost as much as $3500. Time is another reason for the decline in numbers. New recruits must start from scratch. The process of designing and sewing each suit by hand requires an investment of hundreds of hours. The end product, however, can and does stand alone as a "work of art." Through the generations the suits have become more elaborate.
Over the years, the music and musical style of the Mardi Gras Indians has become part and parcel of the African-American New Orleans experience. The rhythms and call-and-response shouting songs can be heard on recordings by a number of New Orleans artist; songs and responses such as the one by "Bo" Dollis, Chief-of-Chiefs of Mardi Gras Indian Tribes, Inc. and lead singer of the Wild Magnolias:
"Wild Magnolias from way uptown,
I got a gang that's gonna knock'em down."
The crowd sings in response:
"Wild Magnolias got a golden crown."
Another verse and response, and so on.
Other popular songs include "My Indian Red", "Corrinne Died on the Battlefield" and, the Neville Brothers' tribute to the Indians, "Brother John Is Gone". The strong pride of the Indian tribes is underscored in lyrics such as "My Big Chief with the prettiest crown won't humbah on the ground." "Humbah" is an Indian term which means "to bow down." Another example is "If you don't like what the Big Chief say, jock-a-mo-feenah-hey."
In 1976, the Wild Tchoupitoulas released an album on Island Records featuring George Landry, Chief of the tribe, as lead singer, the Meters as a backup band, and what is believed to be the first recording the four Neville Brothers singing together. Also, there is Wilson "Willie Tee" Turbington's classic song "New Suit" that is faithful to be version originally recorded by the Wild Magnolias and Chief "Bo" Dollis. Mardi Gras Indians continue to record their unique style of music and gain further international recognition.
Over an extended period of time, many people have not only contributed their expertise and their time, but have also underwritten the expense of constructing this program. We have every reason to believe that as a fundraising tool this program can and will serve well the interests and desires of the Mardi Gras Indian Tribes, Inc.
by Rudy Muse, rampARTstreet Graphics