Big Chief Monk Boudreaux

Descendants of runaway slaves that found refuge among the native tribes in the Louisiana bayous, Mardi Gras Indian tribes have a unique place in both the cultural and musical history of New Orleans, and each tribe has their respective Big Chief.

This is a photograph of Big Chief Monk Boudreaux of the Golden Eagles tribe, taken during a performance at Tipitina's which coincided with his recent birthday celebration.  Born in 1941, he can still hold his own on stage for a few hours.

If you are curious about this musical tradition you may want to view the documentary film, Bury the Hatchet (2010).  The film, directed by Aaron Walker, was awarded the Grand Prize at the 2009 Royal Anthropological Institute's International Festival of Ethnographic Film.

If you just want to sample the sounds, you can do so HERE.