The Big Easy: Literary New Orleans and Intangible Heritage

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 11.04.12

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Overview
  2. Rationale
  3. Background
  4. The History
  5. Indians
  6. Teaching Strategies
  7. Key Terms
  8. Bibliography: Teachers and Students
  9. Endnotes

Feathers and Beads: Exploring Heritage through the Mardi Gras Indians

Barbara Biesak Wesselman

Published September 2011

Tools for this Unit:

Key Terms

Tootie Montana-Mardi Gras Indian, made major innovations in the use of abstract geometric three-dimension figures and representational designs. His father taught him this skill using a egg carton as his base.The only designated Chief of Chiefs.

Downtown Indians-abstract sculptural style of dress

Uptown Indians-more "Indian" style (the difference in the styles from uptown to downtown is less obvious and distinct today)

Flour de lis; stylized lily, symbol of French Monarchy, symbol of New Orleans

St. Augusta Church; first integrated church in America

Treme-1st Place in America that Blacks owned property, just outside of the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

Octoroon-A person with one eight African ancestry

Second Line-most often associated with funerals, the second line follows the funeral procession and dances and ultimately sets the mood

Mardi Gras-the feast before the fast, "Fat Tuesday" the last day for Catholics to indulge before Ash Wednesday and Lent

Super Sunday: St. Joseph's Day

Backstreet Cultural Museum-

Masking-for Mardi Gras Indians this means to designing and creating new costumes yearly

Krewe-whites in charge of difference themed parades

Indians-African American's in New Orleans who dress in elaborate suits influenced by the Native American, for Mardi Gras

Cajan-Caucasians moved by the British from Canada, Catholics

Creole-black, influenced French heritage

Uptown-North of Canal Street

Downtown-East of Canal Street along the Mississippi River, down-river

Carnival-Public celebrations before lent

Rex-1872 krewe of Rex was introduced, also began the tradition of purple, gold and green as official

Jazz funeral-A distinguished aspect of New Orleans culture, a funeral with music and second line dancers

Zulu King-Introduced in 1809, Zulu King was the black peoples equal to parade Rex

Heritage-The customs and traditions passed down from predecessor

Thank you to Joseph Roach, Yale National fellows: Mika Cade, Amanda Davis-Holloway, Marilyn Dempsey, Matthew Kelly, Andrew Martinek, Patrizia Mauti, Molly Myers, Shanedra Nowell, Barbara Prillaman, Stephanie Shaudel, and Jeffry Weathers, and Damiem Roberts, Daryl Johnson, Tom Smith.

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