AtD and the Wild West

[David Morris]

An interesting offshoot of the Wild West shows was the adoption of the
Wild West indian garb (feathers and intricate beadwork costumes) by
the former slaves and still oppressed blacks in New Orleans, now
called the Mardi Gras Indians. Many of the former slaves were from
African tribes that produced intricate beadwork that expressed the
position of the wearer in that society, and the blacks seeing the Wild
West indians were inspired by and identified with them.  Mardi being a
time for public pagentry of false royalty amonst the white elite
"Krewes," the Mardi Gras Indians found their own tribal royalty to
imitate and parade during Mardi Gras in the Wild Wesy show indians.

http://www.mardigrasindians.com/

http://www.mardigrasdigest.com/Sec_mgind/index.html

David

On 8/20/06, Paul Nightingale <isread at btopenworld.com> wrote:
> "From its inception in 1882 it was called 'The Wild West,' (or 'Buffalo Bill's Wild West') a name which identified it as a "place" rather than a mere display or entertainment." (165)
>
> Cf P's blurb: "... one or two places not strictly speaking on the map at all."
>
> Slotkin goes on to point out the role played by BBWW in mythologizing the West. As in Wister's The Virginian (1902) 'the Wild West' is constructed as a past age, one to be viewed with nostalgia.
>
> Cody was, it seems, quite gloriously cynical in his self-mythologising: his "continuing engagement with the Plains wars strengthened his claims of authenticity"(167).