mardigrasindians (original) (raw)
Big Chief. Won’t bow. Don’t know how.
Mardi Gras Indians coming down the street, chanting “Ho Na Nae,” which kind of means “Let’s go get ‘em!” The tribes march through the streets, through busy intersections, through the territory of other Indian tribes. When they come up against each other they battle, or “humbug.” These battles used to be knife fights, but now they’re all smack-talking and seeing who’s prettiest.
Mardi Gras Indian girls. The baby on the right was masking for the first time and could barely stand on her own.
Legend has it that Mardi Gras Indians originated as a show of respect for the neighboring Native American tribes that sheltered runaway slaves. Comprised of working class men and women, the Indians sew their own beaded costumes all year in preparation for Mardi Gras. Weighing up to 130 lbs and standing as tall as 10 feet, the costumes are different each year.
But also, underneath the Indian imagery, intermixed with it, is African imagery and chants. As one big chief said, the costumes were also a way to celebrate their African heritage in a hostile culture. Mardi Gras has a long tradition of this, from the Indians to the gay ball culture, anything is possible when everyone is in masks.BBC News - Chief of Mardi Gras Indians gets ready for the big day
Excellent short video following Big Chief Howard Miller of the Creole Wild West Tribe in New Orleans. He talks about the history and traditions of the Indians.
When’s it ok to tell a badass black man in New Orleans he’s “pretty?” When he’s a Mardi Gras Indian! In fact, they demand it. As they chant and strut their stuff, bystanders respond with “Pretty pretty, you SO pretty Big Chief!”- Nighttime Mardi Gras Indian battle, 7th Ward, New Orleans, 2010
In case you’re wondering what it sounds like. Locals only.
(Source: youtube.com) - “10 min. edited video document detailing "The History of the Creole Wild West as Told by Themselves”. A performance and panel discussion with the Creole Wild West Tribe of the Mardi Gras Indians.
All events took place at the Louisiana Humanities Center on Saturday, April 19th 2008, 8pm. And were produced by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council.“
(Source: youtube.com) 
Most people have heard the song Iko Iko, but they don’t know it’s a New Orleans classic that portrays a Mardi Gras Indian battle. Besides the Big Chief, there’s a Spy Boy who runs ahead looking for other tribes, and a Flag Boy who carries a symbolic flag to wave and warn the Chief when the Spy Boy spots trouble. Near the Chief is the Wildman, who is kind of like his hype man during battles.Mardi Gras Indians: can cultural appropriation occur on the margins?
“They have an anthem called “Indian Red” whose lyrics include:
"I’ve got a Big Chief, Big Chief,
Big Chief of the Nation Wild, wild creation
He won’t bow down, down on the ground
Oh how I love to hear him call Indian Red”
Objectively, out of context, this is by-definition cultural appropriation. Imagine if these were white men and women. I should be offended…right?
But it’s complicated. The history of Mardi Gras Indians comes out of a history of shared oppression and marginality between the Black and Native residents, or some stories point to a desire to honor Native communities who took in escaped slaves.
Mardi Gras Indians present a conflict for northern academic liberals. One “oppressed class” seemingly appropriating, even satirizing, another “oppressed class” is not something they’re used to interpreting. Adding a layer of complexity is the fact that Mardi Gras Indians not only profess respect for Native Americans, but in many cases even claim partial descent from nearby tribes. But New Orleans embraces such nested conundrums as a daily way of life, and says “Let the good times roll.”
Mardi Gras Indians, New Orleans
Mardi Gras Indian holding up his rifle, New Orleans
Mardi Gras Indian, New Orleans
Mardi Gras Indian adjusting his war bonnet, New Orleans