A 1989 color photographic print of Bo Dollis, Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias, one of New Orleans' most iconic Mardi Gras Indian tribes.
Dollis assumed the title of Big Chief in 1964 and held it until his passing in 2015, becoming one of the most celebrated figures in the Black Masking Indian tradition. Renowned for his powerful voice and spectacular hand-sewn suits — which can weigh over 100 pounds, cost over $5,000 in materials, and take more than a year to construct — Dollis was honored in 2011 by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow. The Wild Magnolias trace their roots to at least the 1950s, with the tribe's name honoring Magnolia Street in New Orleans' uptown and mid-city area. The tradition of Mardi Gras Indians is believed to have begun in the late nineteenth century by African Americans in New Orleans as a way of honoring Native Americans.
- 7.94 × 7.86 in. image, 11 × 14 in. print
- Printed on Archival paper, unframed
- Michael P. Smith, Photographer
- © The Historic New Orleans Collection
A 1989 color photographic print of Bo Dollis, Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias, one of New Orleans' most iconic Mardi Gras Indian tribes.
Dollis assumed the title of Big Chief in 1964 and held it until his passing in 2015, becoming one of the most celebrated figures in the Black Masking Indian tradition. Renowned for his powerful voice and spectacular hand-sewn suits — which can weigh over 100 pounds, cost over $5,000 in materials, and take more than a year to construct — Dollis was honored in 2011 by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow. The Wild Magnolias trace their roots to at least the 1950s, with the tribe's name honoring Magnolia Street in New Orleans' uptown and mid-city area. The tradition of Mardi Gras Indians is believed to have begun in the late nineteenth century by African Americans in New Orleans as a way of honoring Native Americans.
- 7.94 × 7.86 in. image, 11 × 14 in. print
- Printed on Archival paper, unframed
- Michael P. Smith, Photographer
- © The Historic New Orleans Collection