Blog | HPRG Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum, 4th October 2022 – 15th January 2023 – Hotels Paris Rive Gauche Blog

Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum, 4th October 2022 – 15th January 2023

The Louisiana African-Americans who march in the Mardi Gras parades, and their incredible costumes, are the subject of an astonishing new exhibition – Black Indians from New Orleans – at the Quai Branly Museum, near our hotels!

Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum from 4th October 2022 - 15th January 2023

The Black Indians taking part in Mardi Gras in New Orleans look exuberant, but their presence has great importance for the African-American community in Louisiana.

Mixing dance, song and incredibly-detailed wild costumes, individuals from around forty ‘tribes’ celebrate the memory of Amerindians and descendants of slaves.

The flamboyance of the event is transformed into a moment of cultural and artistic affirmation for these tribes – the Second Line, Baby Dolls, Skull and Bone Gang and others.

Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum from 4th October 2022 - 15th January 2023
© Charles Fréger

The exhibition starts by presenting the Louisiana region and the first amerindians to have lived there, followed by an explanation of the colonisations that struck the region from the 17th century onwards.

Next, presented geographically and chronologically, you’ll learn about the area transition to a European administration, followed by the American one, with the story continuing right up to the devastation of hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A quick guide to the exhibition in English can be downloaded here (PDF).

Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum from 4th October 2022 - 15th January 2023
© Charles Fréger

Linked with the exhibition, a number of events are being organised:

— every Sunday from 3-5pm there’s a different brass band playing the music of New Orleans, with a special parade on 15th January featuring the Fire Brass Band,

— a free talk on 6th & 7th October (English version available), “From slavery to the Black Indians. The extraordinary journey of African-Americans from New Orleans”, (programme here), that you can also see on YouTube,

— a selection of documentary film showings,

— a special trail through the exhibition for kids to follow,

a special evening event (free!) on 25th November with DJs, performances, cooking demonstrations, special visits…

— a number of concerts (Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots – broadcast live on YouTube, Cedric Watson and Bijou Créole…)

A catalogue of the exhibition is also available – 224 pages, 180 illustrations, 43€ here at amazon.fr or here on the museum’s website.

Black Indians from New Orleans exhibition at the Quai Branly Museum from 4th October 2022 - 15th January 2023
© Charles Fréger

The exhibition Black Indians from New Orleans is at the Quai Branly Museum (here) from 4th October 2022 – 15th January 2023

Opene every day except Mondays from 10.30am-7pm (10pm Thursdays). Open Mondays during the school holidays (from 22nd October – 7th November, and 17th December – 3rd January)

Admission: 12€ / 9€

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