美国国家公共电台 NPR In New Orleans, 'Indian Red' Is The Anthemic Sound Of Tradition

 

(SOUNDBITE OF DONALD HARRISON JR.'S "INDIAN RED")

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

That's jazz saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. with an instrumental version of the song "Indian Red." The first recording¹ of "Indian Red" dates back to the 1940s, but the song is much older than that. For well more than a century in New Orleans on Carnival² Day and for other cultural events, groups of African-Americans have been parading in spectacular regalia inspired by Native American motifs³. They've sung "Indian Red" for most if not all of that time to bring them together in good times and bad. Gwen Thompkins tells us their story for our series American Anthem⁴.

GWEN THOMPKINS, BYLINE⁵: The song "Indian Red" has as many variations as the Mardi Gras Indians themselves. Their tradition honors a friendship with Native Americans that some say dates back to slavery, when both sides are believed to have exchanged many kindnesses. But after Reconstruction⁶, the Mardi Gras Indian tradition became more representative of the African-Americans who take part each year - self-love, self-pride with an emphasis on African religious and cultural origins. Oliver Thomas is a former city councilman who now hosts a daily radio talk show in the city. He remembers following Mardi Gras Indian tribes as a child, each name as splendiferous as the next: the Yellow Pocahontas, the Ninth Ward⁷ Hunters, the Golden Eagles, Fi Yi Yi and so many more.

OLIVER THOMAS: In the Seventh Ward - I don't even remember who it was. It was a yellow outfit⁸ that was so beautiful, man. I think that was a Mardi Gras where it was dreary⁹, and the weather wasn't good. So whoever the Indian was, he brought the sunshine.

THOMPKINS: The suits are vital, but the power that the Mardi Gras Indians exude¹⁰ when they dance and sing on the streets is spiritual as well and mysterious. The song "Indian Red" opens with mighty¹¹ cooty fiyo, but no self-respecting Mardi Gras Indian will say what that means. And yet, make no mistake. This is a warrior's anthem.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "INDIAN RED")

CHARLES TAYLOR: (Singing) Mighty cooty fiyo, Indian Red, Indian Red. Oh, we all are Indians, Indians. We're Indians of a nation, the whole wild creation. Oh, we won't bow down. Oh, we won't bow down not on that ground, that dirty ground because I love to hear you call, my Indian Red.

THOMPKINS: That's Big Chief Lil Charles Taylor of the White Cloud Hunters. He's singing the first verse of "Indian Red" in his living room, where he has gorgeous plumes¹², satin and feathers on display. Like any good Mardi Gras Indian, he hand-sews his suits. Taylor says he's been parading, except in times of illness, since he was 2 years old. He's 65 this year.

TAYLOR: The first song you will always want to learn is "Indian Red." That's the prayer. And before you sing "Indian Red," you respect the Lord. You say the Lord's Prayer.

THOMPKINS: Wow. And so what are you praying for?

TAYLOR: You're praying for - that you're leaving all. But you were classified from your reservation, you know? And you sing it and your tribe beginning to leave to hit the street. And the whole object of it's the hope that they all come back.

THOMPKINS: Sounds dire¹³, right? It kind of is. There's plenty of rivalry¹⁴ on the street between opposing Mardi Gras Indian groups. Taylor says the chief's responsibility is to keep the peace.

TAYLOR: I've seen an Indian take and hit another Indian with a hatchet¹⁵ in his face - hit him right in the center of his forehead with a hatchet.

THOMPKINS: There's a lot less violence now between Mardi Gras Indians and a lot more trash talk. But tribes remain wary¹⁶ of police. In 2012, the New Orleans Police Department was placed under a federal consent decree brought on by a history of biased¹⁷ policing and civil rights abuses. When relations with police were poor, the Mardi Gras Indians stood up for themselves, heeding¹⁸ the spirit of the "Indian Red" line, we won't bow down, not on that ground. Katy Reckdahl has reported on the situation for more than a decade.

KATY RECKDAHL: The NOPD was very out of control. And I think that a lot of what was happening was just pure racism¹⁹ - majority white mindset, maybe, not majority white in actual demographics. There were both black and white police officers that were part of the problem.

THOMPKINS: Allison Montana aka Big Chief Tootie Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas helped bring about peace in our time. Decades ago, Montana began urging Mardi Gras Indian tribes to drop their animosities toward each other. He encouraged them to concentrate on other Mardi Gras Indian traditions - sewing, dancing and singing the repertoire²⁰ right. Here he is in 1994, talking with New Orleans author Michael Tisserand.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ALLISON MONTANA: So you hit your drum. Mighty cooty fiyo. I put in the introduction. Big Chief, Yellow Pocahontas, don’t make no bow ’cause I don’t know how. From a dump, I bust²¹ a rump. And from Manila, I make a caterpillar²² climb up a wall to get to the top. And he better not fall. You see; you got all kind of rhymes you put. Then you go, mighty cooty fiyo. In my daddy's time, when the women - get them women voice in there. Oh, it puts tears in your eyes, man.

THOMPKINS: Chief Tootie Montana died in 2005, but he was right. The song does have an unusual power when women sing it. Here are the Young Guardians²³ of the Flame singing "Indian Red."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "INDIAN RED")

YOUNG GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME: (Singing) Here comes my big chief, big chief, big chief from the nation, the whole wild creation. He won't bow down. He won't bow down, not on that ground, not on that ground. You know I love to hear you call my Indian Red. Oh, my Indian...

THOMPKINS: But does this old song sound too old? Harrison-Nelson is the daughter, mother and sister of Mardi Gras Indian chiefs. And she's a queen of the original Guardians of the Flame. She's also a schoolteacher. Her family have decided²⁴ to drop the term Indian Red.

CHERICE HARRISON-NELSON: They can't sing it anymore. It's not right for us to sing. We know better. I don't know how many Native Americans would call themselves Indian Red. I just don't. Everything else about the song, I love. So we sing, guarding the flame, oh, how we love being charged with guarding the flame. And that's what we teach our children.

THOMPKINS: Lil Charles Taylor says he's not changing a word of the song, but other Mardi Gras Indians will have to decide for themselves. Taylor has had a brilliant run as big chief of the White Cloud Hunters. He's performed at Carnegie Hall, in Paris, at the Smithsonian and on the National Mall. He's sewn his suits through hurricanes, a hernia, a liver transplant and divorce.

TAYLOR: I enjoyed it the whole time that I took part. It was a pleasant - and I'll always love it 'cause, you know, I'm an Indian myself. But other than come back at it once I retire next year, that's going to be it. I think I've done my due desire, had my times, really.

THOMPKINS: Taylor's last suit will be peach - the only color he's never worn. He's already sewing. The tips of his fingers have needle holes in them.

For NPR News, I'm Gwen Thompkins in New Orleans.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Chief Lil Charles of the White Cloud Hunters.

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。

3 motifs   

n. （文艺作品等的）主题( motif的名词复数 )；中心思想；基本模式；基本图案

参考例句：

• I try to develop beyond the old motifs. 我力求对传统的花纹图案做到推陈出新。 来自辞典例句
• American Dream is one of the most important motifs of American literature. “美国梦”是美国文学最重要的母题之一。 来自互联网

4 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

7 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

8 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

9 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

10 exude   

v.(使)流出，(使)渗出

参考例句：

• Some successful men exude self-confidence.有些成功的人流露出自信。
• The sun made him exude sweat.烈日晒得他汗流浃背。

11 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

12 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

13 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

14 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

15 hatchet   

n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀

参考例句：

• I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。
• Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。

16 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

17 biased   

a.有偏见的

参考例句：

• a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
• The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

18 heeding   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• This come of heeding people who say one thing and mean another! 有些人嘴里一回事，心里又是一回事，今天这个下场都是听信了这种人的话的结果。 来自辞典例句
• Her dwarfish spouse still smoked his cigar and drank his rum without heeding her. 她那矮老公还在吸他的雪茄，喝他的蔗酒，睬也不睬她。 来自辞典例句

19 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

20 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

21 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

22 caterpillar   

n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫

参考例句：

• A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
• A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

23 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

24 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。