The Big Easy: Literary New Orleans and Intangible Heritage

Indians

Larry Bannock - Big Chief of Golden Star Hunter worked his way up the ranks through the tribe to the top spot. He left for Baton Rouge as Katrina approached to find his home destroyed. Everything was gone, but he had taken two suits with him so he was able to rebuild and redesign and mask for it is something that could not be taken away from him regardless. Even with the hardships suffered suits were as elaborate as ever, that first parade after the storm. It is a matter of pride for the Indians. Bannock believes, "This is our way of surviving. This is what we love. We don't' come and go. We are Mardi Grad Indians until the last one. I live Mardi Gras Indians 365 days a year. My Indian suit and this culture is all I have." ¹⁷ In a discussion with Joseph Roach, Bannock explains that the costumes have coded meanings, sometimes apparent and of the inspiration, "The map has to be in your heart." Quoted in a Mardi Gras New Orleans website, Bannock calls the Indians the parade that white people don't see. ¹⁸ The ceremonial procession is loose, the parade is not scheduled for a particular time or route that is up to the Big Chief.

Bo Dollis is the recipient of the 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Lifetime Honors. He's been credited with sharing the cultures and traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians. In 1957 he masked for the first time with The Golden Arrows, not telling his family of his involvement with the Indians. He made his suit at someone else's house and told his folks he was going to a parade. Hours later his father discovered him, having recognized his son in the street, underneath a crown of feathers. Bo Dollis' name is virtually synonymous with the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indian Tribe. He is clearly the most popular Indian Chief (chosen in 1964) in New Orleans, with everybody wanting to see him in his hand-crafted suit on Mardi Gras or St. Joseph's Day. Bo has been a legend almost from the beginning, because he could improvise well and sing with a voice as sweet as Sam Cookie, but rough and streetwise, with an edge that comes from barroom jam sessions and leading hundreds of second-lining dancers through the streets at Carnival time.

In 1975, Dollis and Monk Boudreaux, Chief of the Golden Eagles, recorded James "Sugarboy" Crawford's 1954 R&B hit "Jackomo, Jackomo". There is contrast in their vocal phrasing, and each swings the story line at a slightly different pace; nonetheless, the unity of spirit shines through. You can hear the closeness of these two childhood friends, the only two professional Chiefs performing in New Orleans. In 1970, they appeared at the first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Shortly afterwards, they collaborated on the classic Mardi Gras song "Handa Wanda." Seldom do they sing together in practice.

The Wild Magnolias and The Golden Eagles have taken Bo Dollis and Monk Boudreaux from the ghettos and brought them to places like Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, London, Nice and Berlin. Where ever they go, listeners will hear an authentic music to which New Orleans owes so much.

Victor Harris-once a member of Tootie Montana's tribe, Victor became the Big Chief of the Spirit of the Fy Yi Yi tribe after the split. Depressed over the separation, he prayed to the spirits for understanding and came out of his house chanting and yelling Fy Yi Yi, and thus the name of his tribe. The Museum of Arts and Design holds one of his costumes on display. It is made of cardboard, cloth, feathers, beads and sequins. His gang still refers to themselves as a gang and pride themselves as a loud, disturbing gang of Indians in a sort of in your face display.There are many interesting men who mask and students will have the opportunity to discover as much as they can about them. We have connections in our school with ties to New Orleans.

Crowns, breast plates, entire suits were (and continue to be) hand made works of art, beaded and feathered to follow themes and tell stories. People actually replaced the violence with admiration, to protect the beauty of their costumes. Craftsmanship and beauty continue to be the most significant element of the parades along with pride and status for individuals and Tribes. Colors represent meaning; purple- justice, green- faith, gold- power. These are the three colors associated with Mardi Gras.

    Indian Red Chant;
    I've got a Big Chief, Big Chief, Big Chief of the Nation
    Wild, wild creation
    He won't bow down, down on the ground
    Oh how I love to hear him call Indian Red
    When I throw my net in the river
    I will take only what I need
    Just enough for me and my lover
  

Through the analysis of chants we can look deeper into the secret culture and imagine some of their spiritual nuisances."The masks not just that we put on for others but that we put on others, the surprises that lurk so often around the corners of someone's seemingly straightforward identity. It is a lesson that one has to learn continually in New Orleans. Things are always more complex than they seem. The is true of any city, but in New Orleans it has its special flavors, as does everything in the crescent city. I probably could have learned it elsewhere, but I would have learned it more slowly, and wouldn't have been as much fun." ¹⁹ While attempting to make the unfamiliar familiar, I have come to feel familiar with the uniqueness of this city and it's quirks. I no longer wonder what is so special about New Orleans. It's the quirks. It's a place where each story told, each subject studied leads only to the desire for more understanding. It's an endless book of beauty, heritage, culture, craft and history. It forces one to address race. It forces one to appreciate. It forces one to hope. It forces one to be amazed.

Presenting this material and using the music of the tribes I will immerse the students in the spirit of the people as we explore this topic because the suits and the Indians are only complete with their music and chants.