In celebration of Fat Tuesday and all Mardi Gras festivities, I share with you a video about the Mardi Gras Indian tribe, The Red Flame Hunters and their leader, Big Chief Justin “Tugga” Cloud.

Big Chief: A Mardi Gras Indian Documentary from FatHappy Media on Vimeo.

This video was created by FatHappy Media and shares the story of how Big Chief Tugga and his tribe create the elaborate ceremonial suits of the Big Chief and the cultural importance of the tribes. The Mardi Gras Indians are a central aspect of New Orleans culture. With origins dating back to the 1800’s, the Mardi Gras Indians were originally escaped slaves who joined the local Indian tribes. Since then, they continue to celebrate their long history in many ways, including unauthorized parades through the streets of New Orleans, ran by the tribes’ Big Chiefs.