The Guardians of the Flame were founded in 1988 by the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. as a way for his family to carry the Black Masking Indian tradition forward. The tribe has become one of the most respected keepers of the culture.

Today the Guardians are led by Big Queen Cherice Harrison-Nelson, an educator and artist who has worked tirelessly to preserve and teach the tradition through the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame and countless school and community programs.

The Guardians of the Flame were featured in the HBO series Treme, which introduced their story and the wider Mardi Gras Indian culture to audiences around the world. Their name says it all — they guard the flame of a sacred tradition.