By US Congressional Proclamation, Sunday is Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Day

Wild Magnolias Big Queen Laurita Barras Dollis and Guardians of the Flame Big Queen Cherice Harrison Nelson display the Congressional Proclamation of Sunday, August 7, 2011 as Mardi Gras Indian Day in the United States of America. The proclamation was realized thanks to Senator Mary Landrieu, Barbara Lacen-Keller, and Anastasia Shaw.

Collin "Coach" Lewis has become an ancestor

Drummer Collin “Coach” Lewis became an ancestor on the evening of Friday, August 5. He supported Big Chief Victor “Fi-yi-yi” Harris of the Spirit of Fi-Yi-Yi and Mandingo Warriors. A Mardi Gras Indian drum tribute in Lewis's honor will be held at the Backstreet Museum at 5 pm, Saturday, August 6, 2011. The Backsteet Museum is located at 1116 Saint Claude Avenue in New Orleans.

The Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame will acknowledge and pay tribute to Mr. Lewis during the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Crystal Feather Awards at Ashe Cultural Arts Center from 4-5:30 pm on Sunday, August 7, 2011. Ashe Cultural Arts Center is located at 1712 Oretha C Haley Boulevard in New Orleans.

If you have any questions, call Wesley at 504-250-5244.

Spotlight on "Bury the Hatchet," a film by Aaron Walker

Bury the Hatchet trailer from cine-marais on Vimeo.


Aaron Walker's widely-acclaimed documentary Bury the Hatchet features the work and commentary of Golden Eagles Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Flaming Arrows Big Chief Alfred Doucette, and Fi Yi Yi Big Chief Victor Harris.

Bury the Hatchet played in New Orleans this year at the Chalmette Theater through both weekends of Jazzfest. Your next opportunity to see it in New Orleans is in October at the New Orleans Film Festival.

Thanks to Aaron and his team for their contributions to documentation and understanding of Mardi Gras Indian culture.

HALL OF FAME WEEKEND SCREENING and DISCUSSION of MARDI GRAS INDIAN FILM (6-8 pm Friday August 5 at McDonogh 42)

Queen B: A portrait of Littdell Banister, Tribal Queen of the Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indian Gang (2010) from Sophielab as screened at the 2010 Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Ceremony on Vimeo.

The Thirteenth Annual Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Weekend presents

PREMIERE OF 2010-2011 QUEENS RULE! PROJECT PORTRAITS and DISCUSSION OF MARDI GRAS INDIANS ON SCREEN

featuring the premieres of Queens Rule! project profiles of Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame honorees Mercy Stevenson, Patrina Peters, and Laurita B. Dollis.

Elder Queen Mercy Stevenson is former Queen of the Wild Tchoupitoulas and the White Cloud Hunters. Laurita Barras Dollis is Big Queen of the Wild Magnolias. Partina Peters is Wild Queen of the Red Hawk Hunters. 

Please join us at the 2011 Mardi Gras Indian Film Fest on Friday, August 5, 2011 at 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm hosted by McDonogh 42 Charter Elementary School, 1651 N. Tonti, New Orleans, LA. An event of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Weekend, the screening and discussion is free and open to the public.

The Queens Rule! documentary project of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame is supported in part by funding from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Kerry Clayton and Paige Royer, with production supervised by Betsy Weiss via the "Feminist Documentation and New Media" class in the Tulane Department of Communication and Center for Public Service, and by Crystal Kile via Sophielab at Newcomb College Institute (2006-2010) and now for the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame. 

There will be a Q & A following with Guardians of the Flame Big Chief Brian Nelson, Director of the award-winning 2011 short Keeper of the Flame, and Greg Anderson, screenwriter of award-winning Stomp the Yard, joining Betsy Weiss and Crystal Kile.

For more information please phone 504-214-6630 or 504-231-5780.