BACKGROUND ON SELECTION for teacher: (from liner notes written by Matt Hampsey of the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park). Reading the selection assigned to students will provide additional information, as well as visiting one or more sites below.

Indians, Here They Come

“Masking Indian” since he was six years old in the Creole Wild West, the oldest Mardi Gras Indian gang dating back to at least 1885, Ervin “Honey” Banister leads this contemporary arrangement of a traditional Mardi Gras Indian song. Mardi Gras Indians are groups of African American men who sew magnificent and colorful suits for their grand appearance on Mardi Gras day, forming a kind of urban street theatre built off of a history of resistance to old laws prohibiting blacks from masking during Carnival, while also paying homage to African and Native American warrior spirits. This is all done while maintaining a certain amount of secrecy to outsiders. The call and response chants that Mardi Gras Indians sing have maintained some of the same lyrics and rhythms for well over 100 years and are designed to guide them through the streets, always on the lookout for other gangs. Years ago, the likelihood of violent encounters between Mardi Gras Indian gangs was real, but today battles are more likely to be fought with a needle and thread, each gang trying to outdo the others through the sewing of elaborate suits.

Ervin “Honey” Banister (Lead vocals and tambourine), Bruce Barnes (backup vocals and cowbell), Phillip Manuel (backup vocals), Joshua Walker (backup vocals), Matt Hampsey (guitar),

John Jones (drums), Donald Ramsey (bass).

 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MARDI GRAS INDIAN TRADITION:

1.       The following are websites that give accurate information on the tradition of Mardi Gras Indians. Various readings of differing levels can be found on these sites. If a reading is used be sure to give credit to the website. The included reading by Kalamu ya Salaam is from the Louisiana Living Traditions site and was edited for length by R. Johnson with the permission of the writer.

·         Louisiana’s Living Traditions: http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Virtual_Books/Hes_Prettiest/hes_the_prettiest_tootie_montana.html

·         Back Street Cultural Museum, New Orleans: http://www.backstreetmuseum.org/

The Back Street cultural Museum upon contact could provide information and advice for creating more extensive presentations or lessons on the Mardi Gras Indians as well as other traditions of the African American community in inner city New Orleans.

·         Mardi Gras Indians Hall of Fame: http://mardigrasindians.blogspot.com/

·         Mardi Gras New Orleans: http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mardigrasindians.html

·         Mardi Gras Indian Show: http://mardigrasindianshow.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26

·         Jambalaya.com.  http://www.jambalayah.com/node/517

·         Words to some chants and links to videos of various songs and chants: http://www.cocojams.com/content/mardi-gras-indian-songs-chants

·         Recordings of chants sung to musical accompaniment http://www.wildmagnolias.net/music/