Okay, so I meant to post this a few days ago, but it’s been an action packed weekend so forgive me and enjoy.
Last night, I attended the first Uptown parade, the Krewe of Oshun, named for the Yoruba goddess of love and intimacy. I stood next to a mother and her 2 small girls. I never raised my hands, never yelled, “Throw me somethin’, mista,” and yet I came home covered in beads. Many were gifts from the girls as I was helping them grab toys and candies that were thrown from the floats.
As I looked at the many faces, all ages and hues, I felt a sense of community. This was a local crowd and I was a local. I walked 5 blocks to get there. I was representing for the Garden District.
As I was leaving, numerous police escorts and 10 stretch limos rolled past on Prytania, one block south of the parade. It’s a fairly small town, but could it be the second time the Saints have gone marching right past me?
Today, I attended the Krewe of Pontchartrain parade. It’s named for Lake Pontchartrain on the northern border of New Orleans. It was fun to go to a daytime parade. There were so many children so the energy was magical and rich with the traditions being passed from parents to children to their children’s children.
At 6, the next round started with the Knights of Sparta. The all-men Krewe is known for elaborate bal masque tableaus. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my still camera. Nor did I bring it to the Pygmalion parade inspired by the Greek legend of a Cypress king who sculpts a statue of a sea nymph, Galatea. The statue is so beautiful that Pygmalion falls deeply in love and spends the rest of his days coveting it.
You’ll have to imagine all these photos with constant and every changing hip-motivating music.
L.A. to N.O.LA 