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 | Mardi Gras Indians | | © Syndey Byrd 1998 |
Mardi Gras Indians constitute one of the most vibrant Carnival traditions in New Orleans. These African-American men, sometimes accompanied by women and children, adorn themselves with amazing hand-sewn creations of feathers, beads, rhinestones, sequins, and other materials. Traveling in groups called "tribes" or "gangs," the Indians traverse the streets of their neighborhoods in a pageant far removed from the official Carnival of parades and tourists. A "Big Chief" presides over each tribe, whose members include the Second Chief, the Trail Chief, the Spy Boy (who anticipates encounters with rival tribes), the Flag Boy, the Wild Man (the Medicine Man), and the Queen.
History
The exact origins of the Mardi Gras Indians are uncertain, but we do know that slaves and free people of color in New Orleans were using feathers as early as the 1780s. They may have been costumed as Indians, but it is also likely that they were following West African masking traditions that incorporated feathers.
Many scholars theorize that the Mardi Gras Indians were inspired by, or at least affected by, contact with Plains Indians during the late nineteenth century. Hundreds of African Americans in New Orleans enlisted in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry Regiment, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," which fought American Indians in the West. Even more important, the Buffalo Wild West Show, which came to New Orleans in the winter of 1884-85, featured actual Plains Indians in mock battles. (More wild west shows visited the city in later years.) The oral history of one Mardi Gras tribe, the Creole Wild West, recounts that Becate Batiste, of African, French, and Choctaw descent, founded the group in 1885. In any case, African-American men adopted Plains Indian costumes in their Mardi Gras rituals. Furthermore, many of the Indians, in addition to claiming American Indian ancestry, also recognize many similarities between their struggle for civil rights and the American Indians' resistance to white domination.
These early "tribes" sometimes ended the day at the "battleground," an area where violence between rival groups sometimes broke out. The Indians retained a reputation for rough-and-tumble activity until just after World War II, when competition through costume and dance superseded any physical combat.
Costumes
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| Young Mardi Gras Indian Queen (Commanche Hunters) and Spy Boy [...] | | © Chuck Siler 1998 |
The Indians design and make their own elaborate costumes, sometimes with the help of family and friends. For most, preparation for the following year begins almost as soon as the end of the Carnival season. Each year they disassemble the enormous costumes (which can weigh more than a hundred pounds) and reconstruct them with new color and design schemes, recycling old components and adding new ones. The "suits," as they are called, are quite expensive. Supplies for a Big Chief's costume can easily cost thousands of dollars.
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| Tie, Suspenders and Apron By Franklin Davis, Wild Apache Tribe | | © LSM |
Indian gangs can be divided into two groups according to geographic area: uptown and downtown. Today's downtown Indians look more to abstract African styles and incorporate sculptural elements in their suits. Uptown gangs favor beaded pictorial scenes inspired by popular imagery of American Indians and the West.
In Action
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| Derrick Hulin, Flag Boy of the Wild Magnolias and Mardi [...] | | © Chuck Siler 1998 |
The Indians, who parade on foot, act out a ritual of song and dance. Drawing from a repertoire of established songs supplemented by new compositions, the Indians combine music and dance in a way that resonates with African culture. Indeed, "masking Indian" is a practice found throughout the African diaspora in the New World. Masked Indians have appeared in Trinidad since the mid-1800s and in Haiti and Brazil some time after that.
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| Chief Larry with main second line | | © Syndey Byrd 1998 |
In addition to Mardi Gras, the Indians parade on St. Joseph's Day (March 19) and the following Sunday, known at Super Sunday. Some tribes also perform for special events, such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Music
Just as costume construction is a year-round activity, so is music practice. These rehearsals usually take place in neighborhood bars and music clubs, which serve as social centers.
The songs are closely related to traditional African music. Most tribes are accompanied only by drums, tambourines, and other percussive instruments. The Indians perform in a call-and-response style, another characteristic of African music. Lyrics are a combination of English, Creole patois, and mysterious words, such as "tu-way-pa-ka-way."
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