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Montana
traces his tradition back to 1880, when his great-uncle, Chief Becate, founded the Yellow Pocahontas tribe; it is believed
he was part African American and part American Indian. The ancestors of today's Black Indians were Native Americans of the
southeastern United States and African slaves who met in places like the New Orleans French Market and Congo Square. These
groups interacted while buying and selling spices, foods, and other goods, and over time developed social networks. The Mardi
Gras Indian tribes of New Orleans embody a melding of Native American, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-American culture. They have
retained distinct cultural identities amid the urban environment of New Orleans. Tootie Montana’s
father, Alfred Montana worked as a sign painter and a baker. With a mastery of wedding cakes, he baked violin-shaped treats
complete with strings and operated a pie shop on St. Claude near St. Anthony. When Tootie was about eight years old, Alfred
made a costume for his older brother Edward. “In those days everything was the big brother”, Tootie recalled.
But that next year, Alfred constructed a new red suit for Edward and Tootie became the proud wearer of the pink suit his brother
wore the year before. That suit and the Mardi Gras Indian culture imprinted a bond with his father that became dormant after
his parents separated. Tootie entered the building trades in New Orleans. After World War II ended, Tootie, now in his early
twenties, returned home to New Orleans after working in California. The Mardi Gras Indian memories of his boyhood remained
with him. In 1947, when he found out that Alfred Montana was to be Chief over an Indian gang in the eighth ward, Tootie ventured
uptown to his father’s house at Saint Andrew near Barrone Street with Carnival day only three weeks away. Tootie joined
with Chief Alfred Montana as the 8th Ward Hunters made their 1947 trek through the city. That was Alfred Montana’s last
year masking Indian. For Tootie, it was the beginning of an immersion in the Indian culture that lasted half of a century.
In 1948, Robert Guidry led the 8th Ward Hunters Mardi Gras Indian gang. That year, the tribe counted 37
Indians and was the biggest gang Tootie had ever seen. After the Yellow Pocahontas stopped masking, Tootie resurrected their
name for his tribe. In 1952, with Tootie as Chief, the Monogram Hunters became the Yellow Pocahontas as many of the 8th Ward
Hunters joined them. Tootie led the gang that Mardi Gras Day for 50 years thereafter, he became the foremost
Mardi Gras Indian, and set a new standard for costume design and decoration. In the sixties and seventies the Tambourine and
Fan organization united the Indians around cultural themes. Costume artistry became the way to preserve the Mardi Gras Indian
tradition. It was now who was the “prettiest”. Tootie Montana applied construction techniques of balance and proportion
to costume design. His work ethic, competitiveness, and tribal pride staved off the fiercest challengers to those who attempted
to outdo him. Tootie Montana has brought the Mardi Gras Indian culture to the world. He was a National
Endowment for the Arts recipient; he has been honored by President Reagan and the Smithsonian, and was gloriously celebrated
at the New Orleans Museum of Art on his 50th year. He pioneered three-dimensional costumes, elaborate crowns, and beautiful
processions. He recently received a lifetime achievement award for his contributions as an artisan from the City of New Orleans.
Tootie Montana died on June 27, 2005. He suffered heart failure after addressing the New Orleans City Council in a strong
affirmation for the preservation of the Mardi Gras Indian culture. Today the Big Chief is Darryl Montana,
son and successor of Big Chief Allison Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas Hunters Mardi Gras Indian Tribe. The Second Chief
is David Montana, Darryl's first cousin and the son of Tootie's oldest brother Edward Montana. tootieslastsuit.com
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