“Every year for Carnival time, we make a new suit.” – The Wild Magnolias, “New Suit.” (1975)
This past Lundi Gras, New Orleans & Company honored one of the city’s most powerful living traditions with a special activation at Lundi Gras Fest, featuring the public display of a hand-sewn suit by Big Chief Shaka Zulu of the Golden Feather Hunters.
This activation invited residents and visitors alike to pause and experience the artistry, discipline and cultural significance of New Orleans’ Black Masking tradition up close.
The display also shined a light on the Big Chief Feather Trust, a fund stewarded by the Greater New Orleans Foundation in partnership with New Orleans & Company. With essential plume feathers costing up to $600 per pound, rising costs are forcing elders to step back and placing participation out of reach for the next generation. The Trust exists to stabilize access to materials, ensuring culture bearers can continue to sew, teach and mask.
