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    Posted February 17, 2010 by
    ljmagnuson |
    Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    Saints fever fuels Mardi Gras

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    The Mardis Gras Indians next door

    By ljmagnuson  |  Posted February 17, 2010  |  New Orleans, Louisiana
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     ljmagnuson is a longtime NOLA iReporter.
    - nsaidi, CNN iReport producer

    I woke up on Mardis Gras Day, Tuesday, to a bunch of cars including two blocking my driveway access, so I walked over to where the cars were. It was a group of Mardis Gras Indians preparing to go and dance.

     

    The "Indians" are African Americans who mask as Indians. The history behind this practice is that during the time of slavery, the native people of this country helped runaway slaves escape. The Black community is forever grateful for this help and came up with a way to honor

    them that would be eternal. Even after the dancer is gone, the dances and the music still go on ...

     

    These groups are particularly meaningful to me as I am part Cherokee, still researching my own roots. New Orleans and it's people have helped a great deal in this. Most Caucasions/Whites have very little knowledge of why they dance, and even Blacks outside of New Orleans are not fully aware. To the "Indians" ... keep on dancing. My ancestors I'm sure can hear you ...

     

    By posting this ... I'm also thanking the Mardis

    Gras Indian tribes or "gangs" for honoring my ancestors.

     

     

    Lynn

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