New Orleans. Palm Sunday weekend. The Guv said to skip the Saint Paddy's Day parade in Irishtown (the parade features cabbages thrown from the floats so folks could make their own Irish corned beef and cabbage).

So down we went to Marvin Garvey Park, in the heart of New Orleans to listen to blues, gospel and New Orleans funk, people dancing on the grass, smelling the sweet smell of barbeque. We spent a mellow afternoon waiting on the infamous and sometimes secretive New Orleans Indians.

Long ago in New Orleans history, slaves escaped to the swamps. Some were taken in by Indians, and the escaping slaves have never forgotten their generosity. For many generations, the Mardi Gras Indians have celebrated with elaborate costumes, exhuberant dancing and music. Katrina left its mark, however, as this year's informal parade went past houses in every stage of reclamation. But when the Indians came, dancing down the sunlit streets with their fabulous costumes, every heart lifted.

Check this site on New Orleans Indians (and I posted more pics and my first video ever in Webshots (see link under LINKS to the right). May you be dancing where you are!