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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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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. Big Chief Demond Melancon hand beading a part of his Mardi Gras Indian suit. (C)2019 GILES CLEMENT/DEMOND MELANCON. In 2008, after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Melancon returned to masking. 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 The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council was established in 1985 to represent the tribes’ interests. Mardi Gras Indians in 2011 Derek Bridges via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY 2.0. Following 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. 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". 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 *The Mardi Gras Indians are celebrated on this date (Fat Tuesday) in 1732. These African Americans participate as a cultural foundation of New Orleans and Mardi gras history. The Mardi Gras Indians are as much a part of that secret society as any other carnival organization. The heritage of the Mardi Gras Indians is an African based long and hard road, starting in late 1600's with the Indian But, don’t worry — you can still see Mardi Gras Indian tradition no matter the time of year you visit. The Donald Harrison, Sr. Museum, located in the heart of the historic 9th Ward, showcases exhibits on the African diaspora, including the Mardi Gras Indians. Learn more about New Orleans' neighborhoods. The Mardi Gras Indians came to the world’s attention in 1965, when New Orleans girl group The Dixie Cups struck pop-music gold with “Iko Iko” (a cover of 1953’s “Jock-A-Mo,” by Sugar 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. Inside 'Indian Red,' The Anthem Of New Orleans' Mardi Gras Indians African-Americans in the city have paraded in spectacular regalia inspired by Native American motifs for more than a century. The Become a Member Located in Treme, the oldest African-American neighborhood in the United States, is the Backstreet Cultural Museum where visitors find an amazing assortment of memorabilia indigenous to Mardi Gras, jazz funerals and other traditions found only in New Orleans. The Backstreet Museum, once the home of the Blandin Funeral Home, houses the city’s largest collection of Mardi Gras Born in New Orleans on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941, Boudreaux is the oldest living Mardi Gras Indian Chief. In 2021, he was nominated for a Grammy, in the “Best Regional Roots Album” category, for his Reggae-inflected album, Bloodstains & Teardrops , recorded in part in Kingston, Jamacia. Enjoy rarely seen videos of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians on Super Sunday (St. Joseph's Day). Enjoy some of our favorite video clips from Mardi Gras. You can also watch video footage from years past, including celebrity interviews and the Zulu parade, from the Mardi Gras Inside and Out Video Series. The History behind the masking of the Mardi Gras Indians is an extremely rich one. "If I had a heart attack at 92, I'd still mask. In New Orleans, you don't need a reason to do what you do, you do it because that's the way it is!" - Larry Bannock, President, New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council Mardi Gras may be an ancient celebration but there's always something new to discover. As the krewes announce their 2025 themes, throws and celebrity monarchs and riders, we'll post that information here Mardi Gras Krewes; Marching Clubs; Mardi Gras Floats; WHEN IS MARDI GRAS? Mardi Gras 2025; Future Mardi Gras Dates; Family Gras; Lundi Gras; PLAN YOUR VISIT. Mardi Gras Dining; Mardi Gras Packages; Mardi Gras Attractions; Mardi Gras Tips; Mardi Gras FAQs; New Orleans Hotels; New Orleans Info; HISTORY & TRADITION. Mardi Gras History; History FAQ 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. New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian culture was born out of necessity. It was birthed through the grit and determination of our ancestors on this continent, who realized that they were being colonized even while some of their own were complicit in that colonization through Christianity, in general, and Catholicism specifically.
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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