ABSTRACT
Every year on Mardi Gras Day, the tribes collectively called the Black Indians of New Orleans parade the streets in artful suits (costumes) to honor those Native Americans who aided their enslaved African ancestors escape to freedom. The chapter discusses the history of these performance traditions, the designing of suits, drum practices, and final presentations on Mardi Gras Day as well as the roles individual members hold within the tribes. Arguing that Black Indian performance traditions are a form of resistance against white oppression, this chapter places these practices in the historic context of New Orleans carnival at large.
