ABITA JOCKAMO I.P.A.
The newest Abita brew takes its name and inspiration 
from the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans. Looking for Indians on Mardi Gras Day is a tradition for many New Orleans families. A cultural phenomenon familiar to residents of the Crescent City, the Mardi Gras Indians are not well known to outsiders and Abita is proud to help share their story with the world.
The Mardi Gras Indians
The Mardi Gras Indians are not Native American Indians. They are primarily African Americans who take to the streets during carnival season wearing elaborate costumes with intricate beadwork and masses of colorful feathers, sequins and rhinestones. Mardi Gras Indian costumes can weigh over 100 pounds. Members handcraft their own “suits” which are destroyed and redesigned each year. The tribes preserve and carry on a complex history of music, art and culture. Members practice throughout the year and host social and cultural events for their organizations.
Carnival Time in New Orleans
The highlight of the year for the Mardi Gras Indian tribes is Mardi Gras Day. The Indians “rock and roll” their way through New Orleans neighborhoods accompanied by musicians playing all sorts of drums and percussion instruments. The words they sing and chant come from many sources, including African languages brought to New Orleans by slaves.
The tribes seek out other tribes and display the craftsmanship of their costumes in complex rituals that honor the strength and power of the warrior spirits of Africa and the kindred spirits of Native American Indian people.
Joc-a-mo-fee-no-ah-nah-nay
You may be familiar with a Mardi Gras Indian chant and didn’t even know it. The song “Iko Iko”, written by James “Sugar Boy” Crawford and recorded by the Dixie Cups in 1965 is based on two Indian chants. “Iko Iko”, is a victory chant and “Jack-A-Mo”, a chant for engaging in battle.
In the song they sing about some of the positions within each tribe. The “Spy Boy” runs in front, looking for other Indian tribes and signals the Big Chief if there is trouble ahead. The “Flag Boy” comes next carrying the symbols of the tribe, followed by the “Big Chief” and his guards.
History
The literal translation of Jockamo is no longer clear, but the meaning is understood among the Indians. Loosely translated it signifies "we mean business" or "don't mess with us". Originally it would have been Cajun (a liberal mix of French and English) and literally translates to "the fool we will not play today".
The first recorded history of Mardi Gras Indians is in a Spanish law dating back to 1781 prohibiting slaves from dressing up as Indians on Mardi Gras Day. Drawings suggest the merging of African and native Indian cultures in Louisiana as early as 1735. If you’d like to learn much more about the history, rituals and traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians, a good place to begin is http://www.louisianafolklife.org/.