Backstreet Cultural Museum keeps culture of Mardi Gras Indians alive
Credit: Photo by Chad Bower / Eyewitness News
Victor Harris, big chief of the Mandingo Warrior, made this suit in 2007. Golden Crown and Shield dedicated it to Allison "Tootie" Montana, an icon in the community who died in 2005 from a heart attack on the City Council Chambers.
Montana spent 52 years defending the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians. The day he died, at age 82, he was speaking to the council on police misconduct during Mardi Gras.
