Christmas Eve before the bonfires
ST. JAMES PARISH, LA. The Mississippi river parishes of Louisiana celebrate Christmas Eve with bonfires to welcome in Papa Noel to Cajun country. This ancient Pagan tradition was practiced on French plantations around New Years and the Winter solstice and the tradition never ended it was simply moved to Christmas Eve.
Igniting Christmas Eve Bonfires
ST. JAMES PARISH, LA. Spaced 12 feet apart about 150 fires burn on both sides of the riverbanks. These 12 foot tall mostly Christmas tree shaped structures packed with fireworks are all ignited at 7 PM as the community gathers to celebrate.
Poking the Bonfire
ST. JAMES PARISH, LA. This celebration is a chance to check in with your community. Around the fires and in homes along the levee expect parties with gumbo, jambalaya, holiday treats and lots of libations.
Phunney Phorty Toast to begin Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS, LA / UPTOWN. The Krewe of Phunney Phorty Phellows toast to announce the beginning of carnival followed by a street car ride down St. Charles Avenue. The city of New Orleans is known for celebrations with parades and merriment from the Twelfth night or the Feast of the Epiphany until the eve of Ash Wednesday. That Tuesday is called Mardi Gras which is French for Fat Tuesday the last day to act out before the Lenten fast begins.
Nyx's Pink Purse on St. Charles
NEW ORLEANS, LA / UPTOWN. A pink purse floats down St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans as the crowd anticipates catching a purse from the Krewe of Nyx. This Krewe is an organization of woman who do community service and charitable deeds. They celebrate Mardi Gras with throws that are symbols of femininity such as hand decorated purses.
The SS Minnow at Muses
NEW ORLEANS, LA / UPTOWN. The Mardi Gras crowd shouts "throw me something" and hope for a cheap plastic throws as the Muse's Parade Float rolls down the street. Krewes are social organizations similar to sororities and fraternities that do charitable work and sponsor balls and parades prior to Fat Tuesday.
St Joseph’s Altar at St. Joseph's church
METARIE, LA. This is a traditional St. Josephs day altar consisting of treats homemade breads,Italian cookies, fava beans for good luck and fruit. The altars are in churches and private homes. When they are taken apart the offerings are given away to the congregation or the poor.
Jesus at the Good Friday Passion Play
NEW ORLEANS ( EAST ) , LA / . In New Orleans East on Good Friday interstate traffic screeches to a halt as motorists catch site of a living Christ being nailed to a cross. In the performance Jesus and two other men are crucified as people dressed in period costumes, some on horseback, look on. The play sponsored by Household of Faith Church uses the actors to illustrate the story of the crucifixion.
Super Sunday In The Hood
NEW ORLEANS, LA / CENTRAL CITY. Mardi Gras Indians stroll through Central City on the way to parade with other local tribes on Super Sunday.
Jazz Funeral for Bucket Carter
NEW ORLEANS, LA / CENTRAL CITY. Eighty-year old Bucket Carter is delivered to rest at Lafayette Cemetery #2 with a traditional Jazz Funeral. As a member of a Benevolent society he was honored New Orleans style. The funeral ritual is reflective of African traditions and is intended to bring honor to people who prior to the creation of these organizations would not be able to afford a burial at all.
Mardi Gras Indian
NEW ORLEANS, LA / MIDCITY. When slaves in Louisiana fled from bondage, the Native Americans in the swamps did what they could to assist their fellow man. As a sign of respect and admiration for this association sprang the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians. They sing songs, dance, parade and use handcrafted costumes to honor the great spirit and their ancestry.
The shrine for Our Lady Of Guadalupe
NEW ORLEANS, LA / TREME. Recipients of healings leave thank you gifts to honor the Saint who answered their prayers.
Shrine of St Ann
NEW ORLEANS, LA / TREME. Believers pray the Stations of the Cross on their knees on their way up to the shrine in hope that their prayers will be answered. Historically single woman would pray on their knees at this shrine and do pilgrimages to nice churches leaving small sums of money when seeking a husband. Jokingly, the prayer was "St. Ann, St. Ann bring me a man."
Pagan Summer Solstice
NEW ORLEANS, LA / MIDCITY. Pagans dance over the pentagram with symbolic offerings of the season as a drum beats. It is all part of a ritual to honor the Summer Solstice.
Blessing The Holy Water
NEW ORLEANS, LA. Voodoo Priestess, Sallie Ann Glassman asks the spirits to bless the water for the ritual.
Dancing the the Maypole
SPRINGFIELD, LA. Pagens dance around the maypole celebrating fertility and planting seeds for a bountiful future harvest.
All Saint’s Eve in Lacombe
LACOMBE, LOUISIANA. In Lacombe, people of all beliefs practice a Creole and Indian ritual of honoring their dead on All Saints Eve. A priest blesses each cemetery and graves are cleaned and decorated with candles and flowers for the annual return of their dearly departed.
St John’s Eve on the Bayou
NEW ORLEANS, LA. Vodou Priestess Sallie Ann Glassman pours holy water over a veve as the Vodouisant around her pray. Her group, La Source Ancienne Ounfo, is a private Vodou society that works with the spirits of Haitian Loa. The patron saint of this group is Marie Laveau a New Orleans vodou priestess of legendary fame.
The New Orleans Shrine of the Santisima Muerta
NEW ORLEANS, LA / MIDCITY. The New Orleans Chapel Of the Santisima Muerta has a public shrine welcoming the public to honor the three aspects of the angel of death.
Samhain Altar
NEW ORLEANS, LA / UPTOWN. Pagans build an altar for their Samhain holiday ritual. Samhain is like a New Years celebration for Pagans marking the end of the harvest season the beginning of the new year.
Wyld Fire Beltane Hunt Blessings
SPRINGFIELD, LA. The May King leads a ritual after the Wyld Fire Beltane Hunt. Beltane is the Pagan celebration of the transition from Spring to Summer when the earth energy is bursting with the potential of conception. This ritual was about a hunt for the May Queen by the May King and symbolic of blessed and fertile unions.
Wiccan Yule
KENNER, LA. Coven members walk a labyrinth and chant as the High Priestess in the center lights a cauldron. When the members reach the center they drop paper messages into the fire declaring what they want to let go of in their life and what they plan to manifest. They continue to chant the affirmation as they leave the makeshift labyrinth.
In The Spirit
NEW ORLEANS, LA. As a result of music, song and prayer the energy of the spirits both Loa saints and ancestors are invited in. Possession of people by spirit is likely and welcomed by most voodou followers.
Gnostic Mass at OTO Temple (Ordo Templi Orientis)
NEW ORLEANS, LA / MARIGNY. A naked goddess sits on the altar as the priest recites his prayers. The Alombrados Oasis of Ordo Templi Orientis is a Thelemic initiatory fraternity started by Aleister Crowley, a practitioner of magical arts, who lived in New Orleans around 1916. During the mass the goddess energy is celebrated.
