Even before the birth of jazz and well before the first audio recordings, so-called Mardi Gras Indians were playing music on the streets of New Orleans. Enslaved African-Americans chose the name as a tribute to the Native American tribes who helped them when they escaped. This subculture made an undeniable contribution to developing jazz and funk in the city. The members of Cha Wa give the original chants a modern New Orleans sound. In doing so, they follow the tradition of funk bands like The Meters, Neville Brothers and Dr. John, adding soul and hip-hop to the city's traditional second-line street jazz. To this day, Mardi Gras Indians are part of neighborhood communities that blend spirituality, music and activism. And even now it is not taken for granted that they can walk the streets safely in their lavish, Afro-Caribbean-style attire. And yet a band like Cha Wa always exudes fun, culture and jazz history.
