Art of the Creole Wild west mardi gras indians

January 27 - march 18, 2017
mainspace @ artspace

Every year on Mardi Gras, the sparkling beads, jangling of tambourines, and chants of “Creole Wild West” announce to the world that the oldest Mardi Gras Indian tribe is still “masking” in New Orleans. Now Big Chief Howard Miller and his tribe bring their hand-beaded and feathered “suits” to Shreveport January through March 2017 as artists in residence with the Shreveport Regional Arts Council. Mardi Gras Indians are, above all, artists. Their elaborate beadwork and sewing, the intricate rhythms of theiresr music, and the closely kept traditions of their heritage are woven into the fabric of a culture unique to New Orleans. The Creole Wild West plan to share the importance of celebrating the heritage and culture of a rare Louisiana tradition at UNSCENE!, the event series that brings national, regional and local artists to explore the Shreveport Common neighborhood. The January 28 UNCENE! will include a Mardi Gras Indian style parade in and around Shreveport Common, an artspace exhibition of 10 hand-beaded Indian suits with headdresses, crowns, blankets and embellishments; and a beading and sewing workshop taught to the community by Big Chief Miller.

Press links:

64 Parishes - Mardi Gras Indians

mykisscountry937.com - Mardi Gras Indians are coming to Shreveport Bossier

20x49.shreveport-bossier.org - See the colorful unbelievable suits of Mardi Gras Indians at artspace

www.juxtapoz.com - Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians Parade

www.ksla.com - Mardi Gras Parade to stroll through Shreveport's History

“What excites me the most about the SRAC artist residence is the chance to share the history of the Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians with the people of Shreveport and to bring awareness to a tradition that has been such an important part of the New Orleans culture for over 200 years. Up until ten years ago, the Mardi Gras Indians were primarily secret societies. People did not know that our history was about slaves who found safe haven with the Native Americans and that we saw our purpose as bringing spirit and joy to hopeless people. I have shared the history of the Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians and our ties to Native Americans in universities across the country, including Georgetown, Auburn, Tulane, LSU and Xavier, but we have never had the opportunity to educate on the scale that we will be able to in Shreveport.” - Big Chief Howard Miller