The Backstreet is known as New Orleans hidden treasure. It's one of those places that you look at while you're parking the car and wonder "Am I in the right place?" The Backstreet Cultural Museum was founded in 1999 by Sylvester Francis, who is a videographer and photographer. It is located on 1116 St. Claude Ave, which is in the Fauborg Treme section of the city, which is the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States. This museum was once the home of the Blandin Funeral Home. As much as this is a living museum, it's also a community center and a neighboorhood pillar. It preserves and perpetuates New Orleans' African American parading traditions through collections, exhibitions and publications, public programs, and performances. The traditions consist of Mardi Gras Indians, Skull and Bone gangs, Baby Dolls, jazz funerals, social aid and pleasure clubs.
The Backstreet Cultural Museum features a permanent and enormous collection of Mardi Gras Indian suits, parade costumes, photographs, and artifacts. The museum holds the largest collection of Mardi Gras Indian suits. The Mardi Gras Indian suits are gaining recognition for their aesthetic importance and artistic power. Mardi Gras Indians evolved from a bond African and Americans shared in the 18th and 19th centuries in the South, when runaway slaves sought safety among the various tribes living in the area. There are 20 tribes found here in Louisiana some of which are White Cloud Hunters, Wild Apache, Flaming Arrows, and Yellow Pocahontas. Most of the Mardi Gras Indians wear their costumes only one time and after that, they donate it to the museum.
Not only do the museam have second line parades, it also hosts the annual White Buffalo Day Ceremony. White Buffalo Day is a day of gathering of the tribes for unity, peace, and healing. It started on August 27,1995 in New Orleans on the site of the old battleground by Claiborne and Poydras and on the scared ground of Congo Square.
After researching the Backstreet Cultural Museum, it makes me wonder what else does New Orleans have to offer that we don't know about. Even though I didn't visit the museum yet, I encourage everyone that hasn't been there to go and visit. I read of a lot of the reviews and they say it's awesome. If anyone is interested in visiting the Backstreet Museum, it is open on Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am-5 pm.
I have never heard of this Museum. What I find most interesting about it is where it is located. I would have never guest any museum would be located in the Treme area. I also like how it caters to the history of Mardi Gras with the Indians and Baby Dolls.
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting that so many of the Indian costumes are only worn once then donated. Also, the history of the Indians in Louisiana. I have never seen this museum but it definitely seems very interesting.
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