Black Masking Indians: A historical New Orleans Carnival tradition

Many people may not know, but one of the most popular Black Carnival traditions of New Orleans started out of resistance.
Some Africans brought here during the trans-Atlantic slave trade were able to find safety with the Indigenous people of Louisiana. As a way to pay tribute, the tradition of Black Masking Indians was created. It was only later they would became known as "Mardi Gras Indians" because the tribes would utilize European holidays, like Fat Tuesday, to dress out and parade in the streets. Delayed but not deterred, various communities of eager paraders took to their respective neighborhoods and began celebrating on their own. These various communities would continue on to make up their own tribes of Black Masking Indians for decades on.
Featured in this video: Shaka Zulu, a New Orleans Black Masking Craftsman, Stilt Dancer, & Musician who was named a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow.
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[@Candlelight777]

Beautiful, I was in Indiana and told my own people of color to do such beautiful things as this. Never got to experience it. Looks lovely and peaceful. A beautiful connection with your roots as well as your ancestors as well. I love the love love that they put into making the outfits and the joy of coming together. So beautiful

[@VisitNewOrleans504]

Thank you!! We love hearing such appreciation and admiration for this important aspect of our culture!

[@diondavis6443]

Loved learning about this tradition and the process behind it.

[@tamlamoore7962]

THIS IS TURTLE 🐢 ISLAND.WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE

[@denisefigueroa7761]

This was so cool to learn about! 🙂

[@kimberlyelaine]

Well that was interesting!!!!

[@americanindian5259]

We are more Indian than we are African.

[@TheEmpireStrikes74]

Nah you backwards..It's more African..Than native...We sing call and response..( African), the beading is closer to African ( Youraba) many gangs just capture plains Indians scence( Uptown style) ,the feathers and the Crown are the closest to Native peoples but is also has symbolism in African cultures..You can see the same styles all through the Caribbean and Latin America..At the end of the day..We are playing Indian..But this is black African & Creole culture...Going all the way back to Congo Square.
JUST FACTS..

[@Itzpapalotl.]

Some of you might be, not everyone who’s claiming it though.

[@americanindian5259]

@@Itzpapalotl. it's most of us. No thanks to Walter Plecker and those other yt folks many of us would have a very hard time finding it.

[@Itzpapalotl.]

@@americanindian5259 I maintain SOME. DNA tests will prove there is significantly more African than American Indian DNA.

[@revolution1237]

@@americanindian5259 I'll repeat what they say.
Some of y'all might be, but not all of y'all who's claiming it, though.

[@germainetriplett7124]

Have you guys ever invited any of the indigenous Indians to come to view how we interpret our Indian culture

[@kevinlezo1046]

Wabos

[@dtaefrm313]

Mongolian mongoloids and Caucasian caucasoids aka Neanderthal and Denisovan.

[@tippy550storm]

@@dtaefrm313 Don't know if blacks do this on purpose not knowing the difference between Mongolian and Mongoloid, but Mongo-l-i-a-n are their own ppl speaking their own Mongoloid languages & Mongo-l-o-i-d is a racial category Scientists assgined Asians too. N.A. aren't Mongolian & don't speak Mongolian, nor share Mongolian culture. N.A. are their own ppl, with their own DNA & have 10's of 100's of different languages with 100's of different cultures. Indians aren't Mongolians.

[@darinboue8686]

So they are NOT paying homage to the Native Americans (Indians ) but to actual African Americans (Blacks) who lived free in the Native American area/community? And is he saying that these African Americans were indigenous to the area and free? Were they descendants of slaves brought here previously and either escaped or earned freedom or were they actually black people in Louisiana before european colonization? Confused. I am a tour guide and tell people about this every day. Trying to get it right.

[@VisitNewOrleans504]

Thanks for your comment and for your interest in understanding the history behind this tradition. We'd be happy to connect you directly with Chief Shaka if you like. There are differing theories on this. As we understand it, Shaka's is that there were Black people in Louisiana prior to European colonization. Please email us at [e-mail] and we'll put you in touch with him.

[@TheEnigmaticBM39]

They're paying homage to the maroon (black indigenous) Indians who lived in Louisiana at that time.

[@etmeyutub]

@@TheEnigmaticBM39 I thought "maroon" was an escaped slave who was living outside the system. Like, while not legally free, living down in the bayous away from the authorities, living near, like, or among the Native Americans. I never heard of there being free black people who were "indigenous" to the Americas who arrived before Europeans. I'd love to know more about that.

[@etmeyutub]

@@wingmanmelly Okay, crazy. i don't know what you are tripping about. I am asking questions to get knowledge. That's what people do. Why don't you introduce yourself?

[@user-cv8qd2nh2m]

I think some of them think their Native Americans 🤔