Did you know?....
Facts about Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras Traditions
New Orleans' most famous celebration--Mardi Gras--is also one of the most
photographed events in the world. Beyond the floats, marching bands and special
“throws” like the prized strings of beads tossed into the crowd, there is a series of
unique festivities which have evolved as part of the African-American experience.
THE ZULU PARADE
The Zulu Parade gets an early start on Carnival participants when the King and
Queen of the “krewe” arrive the Monday before Fat Tuesday on a Mississippi River
barge to officially kick-off the Lundi Gras riverside outdoor festival. On Mardi Gras
Day, Zulus board their floats before dawn for the oldest African-American parade,
sponsored by the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Inc.
Most believe that Zulu began when a group of laborers attended a musical comedy at
the Pythian Theater in New Orleans and were inspired by a scene about the Zulu
Tribe. However, the roots of this colorful organization actually began with the
formation of a benevolent aid society established to provide an early form of
insurance in the Black community. The group first marched in 1901, but became
known as Zulus officially in 1909.
The much-desired Zulu coconut, or “Golden Nugget,” became a Carnival throw in
1910. Today, the elaborate painted keepsake remains a crowd pleaser as the parade
rolls along the traditional St. Charles Avenue parade route, as well as through
African-American neighborhoods. Dressed in controversial blackface and grass
skirts, Zulu royalty has counted among its kings Louis Armstrong who served in
1949 and sports special “float characters of Zululand,” including the Big Shot, the
Witch Doctor and the Soulful Warriors. ZULU SOCIAL AID AND PLEASURE CLUB,
INC.; Headquarters -- 732 North Broad St./Zulu Memorabilia Shop 722 North Broad
St.; 504-827-1559
MARDI GRAS INDIANS
Tracing their roots back to a time when American Indians helped shield runaway
slaves, the Mardi Gras Indians are among the most colorful and mysterious of New
Orleans' cultural phenomena. Their fantastic costumes are unforgettable hand-sewn
creations of intricate beadwork and dramatic images which rank among the nation's
best folk art. Worn just once, the costumes take an entire year to create, with
hundreds of thousands of beads and feathers sewn on by hand.
There are more than 50 Indian “gangs” in the City and each march to the beat of its
own drummer literally. With a formal hierarchy of chiefs, spy boys and other
unique monikers, the Indians parade on special days including Mardi Gras, St.
Joseph's Night or one of two “Super Sundays” in March. Gracing the streets of New
Orleans neighborhoods in friendly competition over which chief is the “prettiest,” you
may catch sight of the Indians at traditional gathering places like Shakespeare Park,
at the corner of Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street uptown; at the intersection of
Orleans and North Claiborne Avenues, near Armstrong Park; at Hunter's Field at the
corner of North Claiborne and St. Bernard Avenues; or at the Backstreet Cultural
Museum where the history and costumes are displayed at 1116 St. Claude St. in
the heart of the historic Treme neighborhood.
THE FLAMBEAUX TRADITION
Lighting up the sky with heavy blazing torches, the Flambeaux carrier originally
served as a beacon for parade-goers to better enjoy the spectacle of night festivities.
Initially, the Flambeaux were established by the old-line Carnival organization
Comus which sought to make “new people and customs the salvation of Mardi Gras.”
The sight of African Americans lighting the way of the elaborate floats was
unforgettable. Now, incorporated in modern processionals, the torchbearers are not
only a historic footnote, but serve as a world-class example of performance art. The
torches may be lighter and use butane or kerosene,
but the entertaining exchange between the crowd and the Flambeaux is a rich
Carnival tradition.
For more information on multicultural tourism, visit the New Orleans Multicultural
Tourism Network
Start your own Flambeaux Tradition! Forget the heavy blazing
torches and "light up the sky" with iGlow(TM) .
Facts about Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras Traditions
New Orleans' most famous celebration--Mardi Gras--is also one of the most
photographed events in the world. Beyond the floats, marching bands and special
“throws” like the prized strings of beads tossed into the crowd, there is a series of
unique festivities which have evolved as part of the African-American experience.
THE ZULU PARADE
The Zulu Parade gets an early start on Carnival participants when the King and
Queen of the “krewe” arrive the Monday before Fat Tuesday on a Mississippi River
barge to officially kick-off the Lundi Gras riverside outdoor festival. On Mardi Gras
Day, Zulus board their floats before dawn for the oldest African-American parade,
sponsored by the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Inc.
Most believe that Zulu began when a group of laborers attended a musical comedy at
the Pythian Theater in New Orleans and were inspired by a scene about the Zulu
Tribe. However, the roots of this colorful organization actually began with the
formation of a benevolent aid society established to provide an early form of
insurance in the Black community. The group first marched in 1901, but became
known as Zulus officially in 1909.
The much-desired Zulu coconut, or “Golden Nugget,” became a Carnival throw in
1910. Today, the elaborate painted keepsake remains a crowd pleaser as the parade
rolls along the traditional St. Charles Avenue parade route, as well as through
African-American neighborhoods. Dressed in controversial blackface and grass
skirts, Zulu royalty has counted among its kings Louis Armstrong who served in
1949 and sports special “float characters of Zululand,” including the Big Shot, the
Witch Doctor and the Soulful Warriors. ZULU SOCIAL AID AND PLEASURE CLUB,
INC.; Headquarters -- 732 North Broad St./Zulu Memorabilia Shop 722 North Broad
St.; 504-827-1559
MARDI GRAS INDIANS
Tracing their roots back to a time when American Indians helped shield runaway
slaves, the Mardi Gras Indians are among the most colorful and mysterious of New
Orleans' cultural phenomena. Their fantastic costumes are unforgettable hand-sewn
creations of intricate beadwork and dramatic images which rank among the nation's
best folk art. Worn just once, the costumes take an entire year to create, with
hundreds of thousands of beads and feathers sewn on by hand.
There are more than 50 Indian “gangs” in the City and each march to the beat of its
own drummer literally. With a formal hierarchy of chiefs, spy boys and other
unique monikers, the Indians parade on special days including Mardi Gras, St.
Joseph's Night or one of two “Super Sundays” in March. Gracing the streets of New
Orleans neighborhoods in friendly competition over which chief is the “prettiest,” you
may catch sight of the Indians at traditional gathering places like Shakespeare Park,
at the corner of Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street uptown; at the intersection of
Orleans and North Claiborne Avenues, near Armstrong Park; at Hunter's Field at the
corner of North Claiborne and St. Bernard Avenues; or at the Backstreet Cultural
Museum where the history and costumes are displayed at 1116 St. Claude St. in
the heart of the historic Treme neighborhood.
THE FLAMBEAUX TRADITION
Lighting up the sky with heavy blazing torches, the Flambeaux carrier originally
served as a beacon for parade-goers to better enjoy the spectacle of night festivities.
Initially, the Flambeaux were established by the old-line Carnival organization
Comus which sought to make “new people and customs the salvation of Mardi Gras.”
The sight of African Americans lighting the way of the elaborate floats was
unforgettable. Now, incorporated in modern processionals, the torchbearers are not
only a historic footnote, but serve as a world-class example of performance art. The
torches may be lighter and use butane or kerosene,
but the entertaining exchange between the crowd and the Flambeaux is a rich
Carnival tradition.
For more information on multicultural tourism, visit the New Orleans Multicultural
Tourism Network
Start your own Flambeaux Tradition! Forget the heavy blazing
torches and "light up the sky" with iGlow(TM) .
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