Mardi Gras Indians

[ty73us]

A "red-faced minstrel show" is Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians. The Washington "Redskins", The Atlanta "Braves". This is a blending of two cultures and it's happened in South America and the Caribbean as well it many different forms and it's actually it's own standalone thing more than a sum of two cultures. The chants have a certain rhythm to them that reminds one of Africa. It's obviously a blend of all sorts of things.

[sweeterthananything]

I understand the concerns about cultural appropriation of Native traditions, but when I see Mardi Gras Indians, I don't see a "redface minstel." I see something that is more West African than anything - listen to their drumming, watch their dances and movements. I see people who were only able to preserve their own culture by masking it with another.

[dancer4life61]

The video is awesome! It is sooo amazing to me that people can believe that whites have Native American blood in their veins and blacks can't... talk about ignorant about history. Indians used to live in the bayou's around here...Google Louisiana and Native Americans. My grandmother.....GRANDMOTHER was 100% Choctaw! I am a 40+NOLA born and bred, black creole. Don't just rely on history books...HISTORY BOOKS ARE ONLY HIS- STORY! Blacks and Native Americans are more common than most think.

[BLACKBEAUTY8989]

yea but there race is black

[rayjr62]

To truly understand what Mardi Gras is all about, you MUST see their parade.

[jcarthern]

To Burnsswettgrass:Do your research and study your black history before you speak. Black Indians have been around since slavery, not renegades,but as members of the tribes. Many blacks ,like myself have some form of Indian heritage within their line.Many don't know of this history, because the U.S.government doesn't tell all in their history books.

[kandi504]

so technical. look into the history of the african american "mardi gras" indians. observe the quotations "mardi gras"...

[burnssweetgrass]

Retire the Mardi Gras Minstrels!

The Mardi Gras Indians are doing nothing more than putting on a red-

face minstrel show. They do not honor Native Americans. The whole

thing is so self-serving. If people of African descent cannot

understand how this is insulting to us Native people, how can they understand our

other societal issues? How can they claim to stand in solidarity

with us fighting for social justice if they can't see how this

derogatory minstrelsy offends and wounds us?

[oddbutcomplete]

with all due respect, i must say that this comment is misguided. i understand the misunderstanding... i get upset when white folks think they know our struggles. i really think that you should look into the history of this before letting this upset you so and criticizing them. i think it is an insult to us that we don't understand the natives societal issues. that's very far fetched i think.

so with all respect, please look into this more before jumping to that type of conclusion.

thanks.