232 Jeroen Dewulf, part 1

232. Part 1 of our interview of Jeroen Dewulf. Jeroen has a new book about New Orleans, From the Kingdom of Kongo to Congo Square: Kongo Dances and the Origins of the Mardi Gras Indians. Jeroen presents a provocatively new interpretation of one of New Orleans’s most enigmatic traditions—the Mardi Gras Indians. By interpreting the tradition in an Atlantic context, Dewulf traces the “black Indians” back to the ancient Kingdom of Kongo and its war dance known as sangamento. Enslaved Kongolese brought the rhythm, dancing moves, and feathered headwear of sangamentos to the Americas in performances that came to be known as “Kongo dances.” By comparing Kongo dances on the African island of São Tomé with those in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Louisiana, Dewulf demonstrates that the dances in New Orleans’s Congo Square were part of a much broader Kongolese performance tradition. He links that to Afro-Catholic mutual-aid societies that honored their elected community leaders or “kings” with Kongo dances. While the public rituals of these brotherhoods originally thrived in the context of Catholic procession culture around Epiphany and Corpus Christi, they transitioned to carnival as a result of growing orthodoxy within the Church.

1. This week in Louisiana history. October 28, 1768. Joseph Villere led a band of French colonists to overthrow Spanish Gov. Ulloa.
2. This week in New Orleans history. John William Corrington (October 28, 1932 – November 24, 1988) was an American film and television writer, novelist, poet and lawyer. He received a B.A. degree from Centenary College, in 1956 and his M.A. from Rice University in 1960, the year he took on his first teaching position in the English Department at Louisiana State University. While on leave from LSU, Corrington obtained his D.Phil. in 1965, from the University of Sussex and then moved to Loyola University New Orleans in 1966, as an Associate Professor of English, where he also served as chair of the English Department. Corrington graduated from Tulane University Law School in 1975. With his wife, Joyce Hooper Corrington, Corrington wrote numerous screenplays.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Bayou Civic Club, Inc.
   French Food Festival
   October 27th, 2017 - October 29th, 2017
   Larose Regional Park
   307 East 5th St,
   Larose, LA 70373
   985-693-7355
   Website
   Google Directions
   Larose Regional Park
   Features more than 30 Food Booths with Traditional Cajun Classic Dishes.
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce talks to artist Jeanee Marie Hammett behind St. Louis Cathedral and buys some art. She'll be happy to sell you some, too! Write her at jeanee@gmail.com.

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