07/28/2026
Contextual Portraits Mardi Gras Indians From An Insider’s View By Nash Porter 64 Parishes
“I was born in New Orleans and grew up in an Uptown community surrounded by African American cultural sights and sounds. As a little boy, I used to follow the Mardi Gras Indians all day and sometimes had a hard time finding my way back home…
my priority work over 30-plus years has been with the Indians. My familiarity with this street tradition and many of the participants who have given me entrance into their homes have allowed me to capture them at close range and to attempt to bring out the true essence and cultural flavor of this annual ritual. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who mask as Indians and since I am a part of this community I always want to represent them well. After reflecting and viewing thousands of my negatives over the years, I realized that because of my experience in portraiture, the majority of my photos were head and full-bodied portraits in context.
These gifted men and women, who have inspired me over the years with their artistry and dedication to the tradition, have certainly enriched my life. One of the gratifications of shooting the Black Indians has been the opportunity to meet once again and to renew friendships with people I first photographed decades ago, early in their years of masking Indian. I have seen children grow up in the tradition. These reunions are especially heartwarming because with some of them I can see how the years have enhanced their personal and artistic development and refined their craft. This is especially evident when I return to my darkroom to print and then begin to compare various years of several people masking. I get excited all over again! I photograph the Indians to document the vitality, diversity, and continuity of this Black New Orleans experience so the rest of the world can see what I see through the camera lens.”
BY STAFF OF THE LOUISIANA ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
Published: February 1, 2016
