Dr. Kim Vaz-Deville
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Kamili Nilata lectures on Mandingo Warriors/Spirit of FiYiYi.
Kim Vaz-Deville
Kamili Nialata occupies a new position in the Spirit of Fi Yi Yi and the Mandingo Warriors black masking Indian tribe and is new to the black masking tradition. It relates to Elegba as an incarnation of the African aspect of the tribe’s Big Chief Victor Harris’s black masking Indian character. Nialata’s garb and ritual performance reflect Elegba, the spirit who owns the roads and opens the way to clear and uninhibited passage.
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Looking Guide – Educator’s Summary
Kim Vaz-Deville
Looking Guide – Educator’s Summary
Resource: Exhibition looking guide
Audience: 6th‐12th Grade Students* *This is an appropriate self-guided activity for grades 6 through 12. However, educators may guide younger students through this lesson by gathering a group around one suit and helping them identify colors, materials, and symbols.
Summary: Students will choose one suit in the exhibition to observe closely. They will describe the colors and materials of the suit. Then they will search for religious and cultural symbols and images on the suit and interpret the suit’s meaning, using the information in the guide for context. Next, they will search for these religious and cultural themes throughout the exhibition. Finally, students will draw or describe their suit design and explain its significance.
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Interview with Floyd Track, Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians who holds the position of Second Chief.
Kim Vaz-Deville
This is a video interview of Floyd Track, Second Chief of the Wild Tchoupitoulas Black Masking Indian tribe describes the lineage of big chiefs in this masking tradition. Video by Kim Vaz-Deville.
Time: 1 minute and 22 sec.
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Interview with Ansel Augustine, former director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This is a video interview of Ansel Augustine by Dr. Kim Vaz-Deville.
Ansel Augustine, D.Min is the Executive Director of Cultural Diversity and Outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C and a faculty member of the Institute of Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. Augustine is the former director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is a drummer, spiritual advisor, and future Medicine Man, in the black masking Indian tribe, Wild Tchoupitoulas. For more information about the tribe visit blackindians.com.
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Interview with Ausettua Amor Amenkum, Big Queen of the Washitaw Nation and the Founder of Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective Reunion.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This is a video of an interview with Ausettua Amor Amenkum by Kim Vaz-Deville.
Ausetta Amor Amendum talks about the history of being associated with the Mardi Gras Indian culture, when she started, what it means to be a Big Queen, the suits she made and the connection between African Americans and the Native Americans.
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Interview with Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Big Chief of the Northside Skull and Bones Gang.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Intervew of Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Big Chief of Northside Skull and Bones Gang, a Mardi Gras Indian group by Kim Vaz-Deville. Bruce Barnes talked about himcoming to New Orleans from Arkansas, his grandmother who was a "voodoo queen" and her influence on his life, how he started masking, the spiritual connection he felt with African culture and traditions, the history of the group in 1819 and the pageantry and traditions of parading during carnival.
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Interview with Cardell Patterson, Flag Boy for the Uptown Warriors.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Interview with Cardwell Patterson, Flag Boy for the Uptown Warriors, vy Kim Vaz-Deville. Cardwell Patterson talked about what it means to be a flag boy ( a messanger for the Big Chief), the history of his association with the Mardi Gras Indians, the suits he made, and the culture and traditions of the group.
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Interview with Demond Melancon, Big Chief of the Young Seminole Hunters.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Interview with contemporary artist Demond Melancon by Kim Vaz-Deville at his home in New Orleans. He talked about the history of his association with Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans, his own family connections to the Indian tribes, the Mardi-Gras Indian suits and the masks he made and representations of african heritage.
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Interview with Denise Augustine, owner of "our Sacred Tours"
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This video features an an interview with Denise Augustine, owner of "Our Sacred Stories Tours", active member of Tour Professionals of Greater New Orleans and a masker in Baby Doll Tradition.
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Interview with Floyd Track, Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians Who Holds the Position of Second Chief (Long Interview)
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This is an interview of Floyd Track by Kim Vaz Deville. Mr. Track talks about the Mardi Gras Indian Masking.
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Interview with Ivan Watkins, Painter, Film Documentarian, Sculptor and Multimedia Artist Muralist.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Video interview with Ivan Watkins by Kim Vaz-Deville. Ivan Watkins, an artist, sculptor and multimedia artist muralist, member of the Northside Skull and Bone Gang and Wild Man for the Yellow Pocahontas Black masking Indians. He talked about his history of joining the Mardi Gras Indian group, the African spirituality, and his understanding of what it means to be part of the group.
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Interview with Mystic Medicine Man, Who Runs Medicine for the Golden Feather Hunters Tribe.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Video interview of Mystic Medicine Man by Kim Vaz-Deville. The Mystic Medicine Man talks about the Black masking tradition, which is retained from the slavery days. He explains that the Medicine Man is a lost position in the present time with the Mardi Gras indians. He also talks about the influence of African cutlure and Haitian culture and also about designing mardi gras indian suit incorporating themes such as love and war.
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Interview with Rosalind Theodore, President of Stop the Violence, dancer and Baby Doll grand marshall and Baby Doll and The Ancient One.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This video features an interview with Rosalind Theodore, President of Stop the Violence, dancer and Baby doll grand marshall and Baby Doll and the Ancient One.
Time:30 minutes
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Interview with Sula Evans, Singer, Songwriter, Artist, Doula, and Priestess of Mami Wata.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Video interview of Sula Evans by Kim Vaz-Deville. Sula Evans is a singer, songwriter, artist, doula, and priestess of Mami Wata. She is a Medicine Queen in Fi-Yi-Yi tribe and a member of the Nation. Her "Shrine of the Holy Spirit" is located in the Musicians Village in New Orleans.
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Interview with Tyrone Casby, Big Chief of the Mohawk Hunters and Principal of L. B. Landr-O.P. Walker College and Career Preparatory High School.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
A video interview of Tyrone Casby, by Kim Vaz-Deville. Tyrone Casby is an educator from Algiers, near New Orleans and the Big Chief of Mohaw Hunters. He talked about his history with the group, significance of masking tradition, the connection to slavery and native americans, how he likes to incorporate civil rights movement and current political conditions to masking and designing mardi gras indian suits.
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Interview wtih The Witch Doctor, Medicine Man, Black Hawk Voodoo Chief, Divine Prince Ty Emmecca.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
This video features an interview with the Witch Doctor, Medicine Man, Black Hawk Voodoo Chief, Divine Prince Ty Emmecca who masks in his handmade Black Hawk inspired suit in 2018. He is an ordained and licensed minister with the Universal Life Church House of the Divine Prince is a Voodoo Spiritual Church.
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St Joseph Feast Day Mardi Gras Indian Celebration
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Black masking Indians wearing handmade "suits" and masks parading on St. Joseph's feast night through the streets of the historic Treme neighborhood in New Orleans. This video recounts the celebration of Victor Harris's continuous masking and tribal leadership on the ritual night of procession, March 19, 2018 and the publication of Fire in Hole: The Spirit Work of Fi Yi Yi & Mandingo Warriors by Rachel Breunlin and Jeffrey David Ehrenreich from theUniversity of New Orleans Press, 2018..
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Annual All Saints Day Tribute to the Culture, 19th, presented by Backstreet Cultural Museum.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
"In 1999, The Backstreet Cultural Museum established a new tradition, its annual All Saints Day Second Line. It is held to honor those who passed during the year and to pay tribute to jazz funerals in the continuing mission to keep this important cultural tradition alive"-- Geraldine Wyckoff.
The video features Oswald Jones, Grand Marshall, the Treme Brass Band and All Saints' Altar.
The event is sponsored by D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, the Neighborhood Story Project, Charbonnet Family Services, the Departments of Anthropology and Urban Studies at the University of New Orleans, and the Boebel family.
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Chief Shaka Zulu
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Chief Shaka Zulu is Big Chief of the Golden Feather Hunter Indian tribe and musician who owns the Zulu Connection performance company
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Interview with Victor Harris, Big Chief "Fi Yi Yi" and the Mandingo Warriors.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Vidoe interview with Victor Harris by Kim Vaz-Deville. Victor Harris, Big Chief of "FI Yi Yi" and Mandingo Warriors. He talked about bringing the tradition of Africa to masking, the name of the group, his history with Mardi Gras Indian masking, and African American culture in New Orleans.
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Mardi Gras Indians Downtown Super Sunday Parade
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
Men, women and children in Mardi Gras Indian suits parading in the Downtown streets of New Orleans during Super Sunday celebration. Super Sunday is an important day for Mardi Gras Indians and is usually celebrated during St. Joseph's Feast Day. This particular parade is through the streets of Downtown New Orleans, an area bound by bordered by Iberville Street, the Pontchartrain Expressway, Claiborne Avenue, Iberville Street and the Mississippi River.
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Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday Celebration at Uptown New Orleans.
Kim Vaz-Deville and Lexcie Thomas
The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Super Sunday is an important day during carnival is celebrated near St. Joseph's Day. The Mardi Gras Indian parade through the streets of New Orleans wearing their fabulous costumes. This particular video shows the parade through Uptown New Orleans an area bound by Napolean Ave, Magazine Street, Jefferson Avenue and La Salle Street.
