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Dancing in Congo Square, 1886. Mardi Gras Indians have been practicing their traditions in New Orleans since at least the 18th century. The colony of New Orleans was founded by the French in 1718, on land inhabited by the Chitimacha Tribe, and within the first decade 5,000 enslaved Africans were trafficked to the colony. The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council always has their Indian Sunday on the third Sunday of March, around St. Joseph's Day. Their festivities begin at noon in A.L. Davis Park (at Washington & LaSalle Streets) where the Mardi Gras Indians once again dress in their feathers and suits and take to the streets to meet other "gangs". One of the most mysterious, fascinating, and colorful pieces of New Orleans’ cultural quilt belongs to Mardi Gras Indians, also referred to as Black Masking Indians. A unique and historic subculture of New Orleans, Black Masking Indians and their traditions date back to the 1800s when Native Americans provided safe refuge and a sense of A Mardi Gras Indian at a New Orleans jazz festival in 2011 Tulane Public Relations via Wikimedia Commons under CC while downtown tribes embrace architectural designs with three-dimensional The Mardi Gras Indians continue to evolve with the times, yet they remain a lasting reflection of the foundation of deep cultural exchange in New Orleans. Initially, their traditions honored their The Super Sunday Mardi Gras Indian parade rolls in Central City in New Orleans, Sunday, March 24, 2024. The parade, which begins and ends at A.L. Davis Park, highlights the connection between To most Americans, "Super Sunday" connotates the Sunday on which the NFL Super Bowl is played. However, in New Orleans, Super Sunday has a totally different meaning. It is a day for the city's Mardi Gras Indian tribes to put on their colorful suits and "strut their stuff" while marching in a procession through the streets. In keeping with traditions that date back to the 19th century, Uptown Second Queen, Veronica Henry, of the Golden Blades Mardi Gras Indians, center, makes her way through the streets during Super Sunday near A.L. Davis Park in New Orleans on Sunday, March 19, 2023. Perhaps one of the biggest kept secrets though is the society of Mardi Gras Indians. The Mardi Gras Indians are a group mainly made up of black New Orleans citizens from the inner-city. The society has a colorful history that’s well worth reading up on. Once made up of violent krewes, these now-peaceful tribes now compare their tribal song Downtown Indians designs tend to be more pictorial. Suit Design. Mardi Gras Indian suits are composed of three main pieces: a crown, a dickie, and an apron, according to Chief Alfred Doucette, a The crowd follows the Mardi Gras Indians to the start of their journey down Orleans Avenue from Bayou St. John during the Circle of Chiefs 7th Annual Indian Cha Wa (Downtown Super Sunday). Since 1970, when they appeared at the inaugural New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Mardi Gras Indians, also known as Black Masking Indians, have emerged from the relative obscurity of neighborhood backstreets to become celebrated icons, with their music and folkways emblazoned on the cultural consciousness of New Orleans and beyond. He’s returning to the large feathered crowns of more traditional Mardi Gras Indians. The only time Harris wore a crown was in 2006, the Mardi Gras after Hurricane Katrina, to honor his Montana, who died in June 2005 during a City Council meeting where he was speaking against abuse of Indians from the NOPD. Courtesy of Eric Waters. Darryl Montana. Waters, Eric (photographer) M ardi Gras Indians are African Americans who form “tribes” that hold weekly practices in bars throughout New Orleans and then march through the streets on Mardi Gras Day and other recurring dates, when they wear elaborately hand-beaded and feathered costumes known as “suits.” Where to see Downtown Super Sunday Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans. In case you missed the Uptown Super Sunday Mardi Gras Indian parade on March 24, you have another opportunity to catch one of CONTACT THE MARDI GRAS INDIAN SHOW. 1920 St. Claude Ave New Orleans LA 70116. 504-975-2434. info@mardigrasindianshow.com Carnival Day for Mardi Gras Indians. Mardi Gras Indians Celebrating Carnival Day. Photo: Vincent Simmons. Meg: It’s Carnival morning. Walk me through your day. Cherice: Well, it’s a lot of chaos that morning. Chances are you did not go to sleep or if you did you went to sleep for two or three hours. These striking groups, sometimes referred to as Mardi Gras Indians, consist of several dozen individual tribes that flood the streets with a flurry of sequins and beads three times—on St. Joseph’s Night (March 19), Mardi Gras day, and Super Sunday (the third Sunday of March). Downtown Indians design costumes with 3D effects, like this one with an eagle’s beak. Members of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes are African Americans – not Native Americans as the name would imply. They refer to themselves as Indians out of respect for Native Americans who sheltered runaway slaves, saving them from capture or even death. Most outsiders stand in awe of Mardi Gras Indians’ elaborate suits, but due to the secrecy of this ritual few understand its origins. Join Tank Ball as she meets Masking Indians and explores one
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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