The swamp has always been a source of life.
Everything is born right in the middle of a chaotic "order" called "Swamp".
It is the middle land, the point where different forms of life meet and survive taking care of each other; Changing habits, cultural point of views (in the case of human beings) and the genetic code in order to evolve.
That's exactly what happened in Louisiana.
We are in the middle of slavery "kingdom", at the same time most of the native Americans were thrown out of their territories and were obliged to find new areas to live.
They choose the swamp.
During this time, Native Americans helped black people "maroons" (nick-name used by whites) to get free.
The earliest record of African and Native American contact occurred in April 1502, when Spanish explorers brought an African slave with them and encountered a Native American band. Thereafter, in the early colonial days, Native Americans interacted with enslaved Africans and African Americans in every way possible; Native Americans were enslaved along with Africans, and both often worked with European indentured laborers. "They worked together, lived together in communal quarters, produced collective recipes for food, shared herbal remedies, myths and legends, and in the end they intermarried." Because both races were non-Christian, and because of their differing skin color and physical features, Europeans considered them other and inferior to Europeans.
Maroons represented the exact opposite of what the pro-slavery justification required.”
Plenty of stories arose about this weird alliance which evolved into the foundations for a new culture.
Fleeing To Dismal Swamp, Slaves And Outcasts Found Freedom
The gift of freedom will be later represented in plain sight during Mardi Gras.
Most of the Maroons used to wear typical "native American" costumes in "honor" of gained freedom, using brighter colors and plenty of plumage.
It was "love at first sight"
So while white man where fighting over "slavery and power" Maroons and Native American were living together in the swamps.
A new culture was born.
Racism, unfortunately, went on for several decades in America.
White people didn't like Black, Chinese, Italians, Irish etc... well, actually white people don't like anything different from themselves, but this is another matter....
As consequences of this "obsolete-white-way-of-thinking" Maroons started their own carnival, or so called Mardi Gras, on the other side of the river.
Living on the other side is like being forced to travel over the universe in a few seconds, your mind blows.. implodes. So many information to decode, understand, memorize and store. Like a journey to the sky.
So let's discover their "seventh sky".
Here is a peculiar story about Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
We are still on the other side of the river, where life is dangerous and full of perils.
Being aware of the fact that life is ephemeral, Maroons decided to create a warning for their "circle of people"
At 4 o clock in the morning they start a procession wearing "home made skulls" created with wet cardboard glued together, black clothes (some painted with skeletons) and while dancing in the streets these "masks" signified to the audience that life is "dangerous", we can die anytime. In other words; have fun but be careful.
Later another parade of black people dressed as native Americans takes place. Glittering colored-costumes, dancing in a unique way, they are there to remind black people that Native Americans helped slaves gain their freedom in the swamps.
How did i discovered all this information?
Cha Wa is the band who opened the doors to this amazing universe of freedom and fights to achieve independence.
When i watched the video the first time i thought.. what is this "thing", then i saw a bunch of black people dancing in native American costumes and i was very confused. The music later in the video captured my attention (it's a very good funk) and i forgot my doubts.
But...
in the videos from the official band-channel I clicked on the interviews and man.. i cannot stop thinking that this project needs to be amplified as much as possible.
There are so much historical information that is impossible to ignore. So spread the voice, turn your socials on and distribute this music as widely as you can. It is part of your life, an important historical moment that deserves recognition.
Enjoy Cha Wa.
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