Since January 2023, Keep It In The Culture , a worker-owned cooperative, has been committed to supporting the New Orleans culture bearer community by offering affordable craft and costume materials. Located at 3400 Claiborne Avenue, Suite D, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125 the cooperative provides essential items like plumes, beads, and other materials required to create the iconic suits worn by the Mardi Gras Indians, also known as Black Masking Indians-an art form both costly and labor-intensive to maintain.
Founded by passionate advocates and culture bearers Nick Holmes, Walter Sandifer, Jr. (aka Big Chief Beautiful), and Diego Pinzon, Keep It In The Culture was created to combat the financial strain placed on local artisans by large retailers. The cooperative emphasizes keeping resources within the community, allowing dollars to be reinvested locally instead of flowing to outside corporations.The Mardi Gras Indian suits, deeply rooted in cultural heritage, can take six to nine months to create and cost thousands of dollars in materials. Big Chief Beautiful, a co-founder and a 30-year Mardi Gras Indian, shares his expertise through crafting and beading workshops. He offers community members the opportunity to learn and expand their creative skills, ensuring cultural knowledge is passed down to future generations.
Visit Keep It In The Culture Co-op
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