A Mardi Gras Indian suit is a year of nights — beads, sequins, rhinestones, feathers — sewn by hand for one morning. The tribe comes out at first light: the Spy Boy far ahead, the Flag Boy signaling, the Wild Man clearing the way, and the Big Chief last, the prettiest on the street.

When two tribes meet, the Chiefs face off — chants, drums, and the question of who is the prettiest. The tradition honors the Native nations who sheltered the enslaved and the neighborhoods that raised the tribes. Watch from the sidewalk, follow at a distance, and let the gang pass.