Members of the Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Celebrating Mardi Gras. Stompin’ with the Big Chief

Today’s Bing photo shows Mardi Gras Indians parading at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which generally happens in April or May. But the big day for all the Mardi Gras Indians is today, Fat Tuesday itself. Members of the various ‘tribes’ of Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans are African Americans who wear costumes influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel. It’s considered a show of respect to the Indian tribes who for centuries took in slaves fleeing bondage in Louisiana. The origins of the tradition are unclear, but Mardi Gras Indians have been performing on the streets of New Orleans since at least the 1880s.