Event
Culture Bearer Program - Creole Mardi Gras Traditions with Dianne Honoré
Fee:
Free. Free and open to the publicLocation: LAT/LONG: 29.954800, -90.064738
At the National Park Service French Quarter visitor center - 419 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Type of Event
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Central Time
Description
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
and
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve
present a
Special Program
about Creole Mardi Gras Traditions
featuring
Diane Honoré
Saturday at 12:00 noon
At the National Park Service French Quarter visitor center
419 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA
Growing up in her family's Creole restaurant located in the culturally-rich Tremé neighborhood, laid the foundation for Dianne “Gumbo Marie” Honoré's work as an award winning Historic Interpreter, Creole culture activist, registered teaching artist and event producer. She founded the Black Storyville Baby Dolls™, the Amazons Benevolent Society™, and Unheard Voices of Louisiana™. Annually on Mardi Gras Day, she masks as Big Queen of the Yellow Pocahontas Hunters Tribe for which she meticulously creates one-of-a-kind "suits" from thousands of beads and feathers.
Dianne was awarded the 2013 Recognition Award by the Louisiana Research Association for outstanding contributions to society through Truthful Historical Storytelling and in 2018 she received the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame "Capturing the Spirit" Award for work in the community and cultural preservation efforts. In 2023 she was crowned the Historic French Market's Creole Tomato Festival Queen for her contributions to community. Her Baby Doll costumes and Black Masking Indian suits have been in multiple exhibits including at the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in Paris, France.
Her Louisiana Creole ancestry dates back to ca.1738 New Orleans with the birth of her 6th generation grandmother Catiche Destrehan who was a Louisiana Creole. Her lineage includes a plethora of Louisiana notables. Spending much of her young life in the French Quarter and her family's Creole restaurant she embodies a passion for her heritage and serving others.