www.artsy.net: For the Mardi Gras Indians, New Orleans’s most important celebration is less about boozing and bead-throwing than making incredible costumes. Comprised of different “tribes” of black New Orleans residents (many of Creole descent), the group leads one of the city’s most spectacular Carnival events, with each member wearing stunning homemade suits that appropriate the aesthetics of Native American dress.
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This is fascinating. I’ve attended a few celebrations of Mardi Gras in NO over the years and have always been fascinated by the costumes, floats, and celebrations. It is incredible the amount of work that goes into each of these individual elements that also include choreographed dance. While the article goes into detail, I don’t like that it only scratches the surface of the amount of work that is involved in each of these tribes that each collectively participate in the overall celebration. I do like that in this instance, the people that are being featured are the people who are descended from the Creole of the area. The vivid colors and intricate designs of these costumes, elaborate choreography are remarkable. Also too is the aspect that this is a life long learning and doing. In the article it mentions that Darryl has been sewing since six years old and that he learned from his father. It is also intriguing and something that I would like to learn more about, is the aspect that this all came from Native American war games that lead to fighting between the tribes. Inspirational too is the fact that Darryl now teaches this sewing to over 3,000 kids over the years so that the traditions and the heritage can continue.
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