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First Flag signals back down the line to Big Chief. Big Chief has a stick that controls the Indians. When he hits the ground with the stick, they better get down and bow to the Chief." - Larry Bannock. On Mardi Gras Day, if you're lucky enough to see some of the Mardi Gras Indians, the first Indian you're likely to see is the Spy Boy. Each tribe has a hierarchy that includes positions such as Big Chief, Big Queen, Spy Boy and Flag Boy. Big Chief Demond Melancon hand beading a part of his Mardi Gras Indian suit. (C)2019 Gang Flag. In a Mardi Gras Indian tribe or “gang,” the gang flag is responsible for relaying information or “signals” to and from the big chief. Also known as the flag boy or flag, he typically carries a decorated staff or totem emblazoned with the tribe’s name or some other signifier. Both hierarchical and territorial, there are over 40 Black Masking Indian tribes throughout the city of New Orleans, including the Wild Magnolias, the Young Maasai Hunters, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, Bayou Renegades, and the Golden Feather Hunters. Each tribe has positions among its members such as Big Chief, Big Queen, Spy Boy, and Flag Boy. A Mardi Gras Indian at a New Orleans jazz festival in 2011 Tulane Public Relations via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY 2.0. a queen and a banner-brandishing flag boy, among other roles. Mardi Gras Indians have been igniting dancers in music clubs since the 1970s. The Dixie Cups sing a resonant take on Indian lore, “Iko Iko”: “My Flag Boy and your Flag Boy, sitting by the fire / My Flag Boy told your Flag Boy, ‘I’m going to set your flag on fire.’” It takes some fire to be a Flag Boy, you can bet your back pay on Spy Boy - An individual whose role in a Mardi Gras Indian tribe is to scout out and look out for other Mardi Gras Indian tribes. They use signals to let the gang know another tribe is coming. Wild Man - An individual whose role in a Mardi Gras Indian tribe is to protect the chief. In the early 20th century, meetings between tribes were often Spy Boys, Flag Boys & Big Chiefs. Photographer Steve Mann shows us the pagentry of the Mardi Gras Indians. All photos by Steve Mann < Back to Main Story . The ceremonial singing of “Indian Red” starts the day by calling out the tribe by position—Spy Boy, Flag Boy, Wildman, Queen, Chief—in a slow chorus with a thunder-drum backbeat, punctuated by sharp tambourine slaps as each Indian shows off specific traditional dance moves, battle shouts, and the layers of their handiwork on this year’s suit. Indians would meet on Mardi Gras; it was a day to settle scores." - Larry Bannock, Past President, New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council. Masking Indian Indians Ranks Super Sunday Keep-N-It-Real Indian Videos. Mardi Gras is full of secrets, and the Mardi Gras Indians are as much a part of that secrecy as any other carnival organization. Mardi Gras Indian gangs have existed since the early 20th Century. Each gang performs its own original songs and dances on Mardi Gras Day, on "Super Sunday" (the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day) and at other functions in the community. The "Big Chief", the "Spy Boy", the "Flag Boy" and several other roles or offices are important to the Mardi The spy boy’s job is to march ahead of his tribe along the parade route, acting as lookout, while the flag boy walks between the spy boy and the big chief, relaying messages between the two and This Acrylic Paintings item by LoriAnselmoArt has 5 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Slidell, LA. Listed on Oct 10, 2024 On Mardi Gras Day, if you're lucky enough to see some of the Mardi Gras Indians, the first Indian you're likely to see is the Spy Boy. His job places him ahead of the Big Chief's procession. Each Spy Boy has a method to signal potential trouble or approaching rival Indian tribes with dancing, whooping, hollering, and hand language. 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.” Crawford's version of the song did not make the charts. The story tells of a "spy boy" (i.e. a lookout for one band of Indians) encountering the "flag boy" or guidon carrier for another "tribe". He threatens to "set the flag on fire". Crawford set phrases chanted by Mardi Gras Indians to music for the song. Modern day tribes are organized with specific roles for each member. The “big chief” is the tribal leader, followed by “second chiefs” and “queens.” Marching several blocks ahead of the tribe is the “spy boy.” He relays information to the “flag boy,” who notifies the chief by waving a flag or stick. This part of Mardi Gras Indian history is referenced in James Sugar Boy Crawford's song, "Jock-A-Mo" (better known and often covered as "Iko Iko"), based on their taunting chants. [219] Violence began to decline from the 1950s, [ 114 ] and by the 1960s, "Chief of Chiefs" Allison Montana worked to end regular violence between the Mardi Gras This Acrylic Paintings item by LoriAnselmoArt has 2 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Slidell, LA. Listed on Oct 10, 2024 In New Orleans East Demetris Williams, 43, is hard at it. Williams is a Flag Boy for the Golden Comanche Mardi Gras Indians. (Staff photo by John McCusker, The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com)
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