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Every Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, Mardi Gras Indians play a big part in the celebration. It’s a long-held tradition, but the origins combining African-American, Cajun and Native cultures is unclear. Dozens of Mardi Gras Indian tribes use terminology and practices similar to Native American tribes; they have members, chiefs and a particular way of dressing. We’ll get a snapshot of the Mardi Gras Indians and how they have evolved over time.
Guests:
Big Queen Mary Kay Stevenson with the original Wild Tchoupitoulas Indians
Lora Ann Chaisson (Houma) – tribal council for the United Houma Nation
Break 1 Music: Fire On the Bayou (song) Big Chief Alfred Doucette (artist) Rollin’ Wit Da Legends & Marie Laveau (album)
Break 2 Music: Kaaka-ggua Cauyalriitqa (song) Pamyua (artist) Mengluni (The Beginning) (album)
Racial Appropriation is something that all “minorities” (especially Native and African descendants) have experienced. Being a person of mixed lineage, I can see it from all angles. I can not empathize enough that those who are victims of genocide, slavery, colonialism, and the decimation of our people and culture often times don’t accurately know our heritage. Using Native American images as mascots are out right racism and equivalent to Blackface. The Mardi Gras Indians are a different animal all together. Many Blacks believe that they are honoring the people who helped them to escape slavery, provide refuge and taught them to live off the land. Many (not most) of these people have some Native heritage. Because of oppression and lack of education, many Black people don’t even know their own culture and will dress in African costumes at formal Black history events in clothing that is from regions of Africa that are no where near their genetic lineage. So it is understandable that they will use Native clothing and headdresses that are not from the Lousiana region. This is one of the many tragedies of “American” history. A loss of accurate knowledge of cultures. Most of the Black people of Louisiana who participate in these events do so to honor the people who they saw as their allies, and have no malicious intent, It’s important to have these dialogues so we can have better understanding where both sides are coming from.