Mardi Gras Indians have been parading in New Orleans at least since the mid-19th century, possibly before. The tradition was said to have originated from an affinity between Africans and Indians as minorities within the dominant culture, and blacks’ circumventing some of the worst racial segregation laws by representing themselves as Indians. There is also the story that the tradition began as an African American tribute to American Indians, who helped runaway slaves. These slaves married into the tribes on occasion.
Generally each “Indian” makes his own suit, assisted by family and friends to sew elaborate bead and feather work—a chief’s suit can weigh up to 150 pounds (68 kg) and cost up to U.S. $5,000—and traditionally a new suit is required each year. Beads and materials were once reused from one year’s suit on the next.
On St. Joseph’s night, the Indians would come out and parade their suits one last time before taking them apart and burning anything they didn’t reuse.
