Carnival Season Begins on January 6th!

Epiphany, on January 6, has been recognized as the start of the New Orleans Carnival season since at least 1900; locally, it is sometimes also known as Twelfth Night. Carnival season is a time for eating, drinking and partying before the 40 days of Lent, characterized by sacrifice and fasting. Carnival is filled with parades, balls, parties and other celebrations culminating in Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday”. Mardi Gras always occurs on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and Carnival ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday, as Lent begins.

Celebrating the Birthday of Big Chief Tootie Montana

Big Chief Allison "Tootie" Montana was born in New Orleans on December 16, 1922, and was a New Orleans cultural icon who acted as the Mardi Gras Indian "Chief of Chiefs" for over 50 years. Tootie is revered in the Mardi Gras Indian culture as the Big Chief who is responsible for making the the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians about pageantry rather than violence.

In 1982 Tootie is quoted to have said that "Now, people run to the Mardi Gras Indians; back in the day, people would run from them". Montana is a recipient of a 1987 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Tootie continued to mask as Chief until 1998, when his son Darryl took over as Chief of The Yellow Pocahontas Tribe. At the age of 78, Tootie was the oldest continuously masking Mardi Gras Indian. In 1995 he stated, "I am the oldest, I am the best, and I am the prettiest". 

On June 27, 2005, Tootie was making a speech at the New Orleans City Council Chamber against the NOPD abuse of the Mardi Gras Indians, when he suffered from a heart attack that took his life. At his funeral, different tribes from across the city gathered to sing, dance and honor Tootie, the Big Creole Chief, the Chief of Chiefs. Today we commemorate the birthday of the Chief of Chiefs and his invaluable contributions to New Orleans culture.

Happy Birthday, Monk Boudreaux!

Monk Boudreaux, born Joseph Pierre Boudreaux in New Orleans on December 7, 1941, is the Big Chief of the Golden Eagles, a Mardi Gras Indian tribe. He is widely known for his long-time collaboration with Big Chief Bo Dollis in The Wild Magnolias, which he joined in the late 1960s. Dollis and Boudreaux were close friends since their childhood. In 1970, Boudreaux appeared with the Wild Magnolias at the very first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In that same year, the group released the single "Handa Wanda", the first studio recorded music by the Mardi Gras Indians. In 1974, he appeared with the Wild Magnolias on their debut album, which featured supporting musicians Snooks Eaglin and Willie Tee. Boudreaux is exclusively featured on Golden Eagles' 1998 live album Lightning and Thunder. In 2001, after 30 years with the Wild Magnolias, Boudreaux left the group. Since then, he has performed and recorded with artists such as Anders Osborne, Galactic and Papa Mali in addition to the Golden Eagles.

Boudreaux participated in the recording and tour of the Voice of the Wetlands All-stars, a band that also featured Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, and Dr. John among others. He is also featured on one track in Sing Me Back Home, the New Orleans Social Club's album released in 2006. In addition, he performs in New Orleans with John Lisi & Delta Funk, with whom he has also recorded. In 2010, Boudreaux appeared in the feature-length documentary Bury the Hatchet, which provides an intimate look at the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, following Boudreaux and several other Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs in the year before Hurricane Katrina, through the storm and the years after. In 2016, Boudreaux received a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Today we celebrate the birthday of this unique New Orleanian! Happy Birthday Big Chief!

Photo: Masahiro Sumori

Happy Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of indulging and eating rich foods on the last night before the fasting of Lent begins at midnight, when Ash Wednesday begins. In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is about fun and celebration … parades, floats, people-watching, food, drink, music and all forms of entertainment. Mardi Gras revelers wear wild and crazy costumes and/or traditional colors of purple, green, and gold. Many wear beads caught during parades. Families with their kids are everywhere, and both locals and visitors have a fantastic time. Mardi Gras has been called the party New Orleans throws for itself, and invites everybody else to attend!

Carnival Season Begins on 1/6/2021!

Epiphany, on January 6, has been recognized as the start of the New Orleans Carnival season since at least 1900; locally, it is sometimes also known as Twelfth Night. Carnival season is a time for eating, drinking and partying before the 40 days of Lent, characterized by sacrifice and fasting. Carnival is filled with parades, balls, parties and other celebrations culminating in Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday”. Mardi Gras always occurs on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and Carnival ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday, as Lent begins.

Celebrating the Birthday of Big Chief Tootie Montana

Big Chief Allison "Tootie" Montana was born in New Orleans on December 16, 1922, and was a New Orleans cultural icon who acted as the Mardi Gras Indian "Chief of Chiefs" for over 50 years. Tootie is revered in the Mardi Gras Indian culture as the Big Chief who is responsible for making the the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians about pageantry rather than violence.

In 1982 Tootie is quoted to have said that "Now, people run to the Mardi Gras Indians; back in the day, people would run from them". Montana is a recipient of a 1987 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Tootie continued to mask as Chief until 1998, when his son Darryl took over as Chief of The Yellow Pocahontas Tribe. At the age of 78, Tootie was the oldest continuously masking Mardi Gras Indian. In 1995 he stated, "I am the oldest, I am the best, and I am the prettiest". 

On June 27, 2005, Tootie was making a speech at the New Orleans City Council Chamber against the NOPD abuse of the Mardi Gras Indians, when he suffered from a heart attack that took his life. At his funeral, different tribes from across the city gathered to sing, dance and honor Tootie, the Big Creole Chief, the Chief of Chiefs. Today we commemorate the birthday of the Chief of Chiefs and his invaluable contributions to New Orleans culture.