Medicine Man Cal, Mardi Gras Indian fundraiser

Hello, my name is Mambo Midge and I want to raise funds for my dear neighbor. Medicine Man Cal is a Mardi Gras Indian who works on his suit year-round. While this time-honored tradition is well respected and loved by Mardi Gras attendees and New Orleans natives, the cost of the materials needed has skyrocketed. My neighbor is a member of the Ninth Ward Black Hatchets and pours his heart and soul into each year's outfit. These beautiful suits require daily work that can take up to two months to complete a single component. Each bead, feather and stone are hand-sewn and the details are truly remarkable and one of a kind. The money we are striving to raise will cover the inflated cost of feathers, beads, glue, string, needles, canvases and materials for not just Medicine Man Cal, but other members of the Ninth Ward Black Hatchets. 

photography by Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee