Things To Look For
Plush Spears and Tomahawks, Captains Wooden Nickel
NEW FOR 2012 - The
Princess will be aboard a new float
the Krewe of Choctaw History
Chief Choctaw was just a papoose back in July, 1935, when he first saw the light of day. His dues were 50 cents per month.
Originally formed as a social organization, Choctaw did not parade until 1939 when ten old U.S. Government mail wagons were purchased from a salvage company for $50.00 each. The old stripped-down mail wagons formed the chassis for the first Choctaw carnival parade floats.
KREWE OF CHOCTAW
KREWE OF CHOCTAW
Choctaw's organizing group were Leonard Santos, L. "Whitey" Knollman, Albert Leddy, Louis Zinc, A.P. Gary, W.N. Burmaster, Henry Klink and John Beninate. Meetings were held in the rear of the Santos Cafe, located at Slidell and Brooklyn Ave., Algiers.
While Choctaw fought for survival, he rebuilt his ten mail trucks into floats and used the New Orleans Sanitation garage, and a U.S. Naval Station warehouse as dens, before moving into his own permanment lair at 219 Newton St., Algiers.
Santos and Wendell N. Burmaster labored long and hard to keep the organization thriving. Burmaster was President from 1935 to 1946, when he retired because of ill health.
While clouds of World War II formed, Chief Choctaw and his Krewe found time to offer entertainment for their loyal subjects. The initial Choctaw street parade took place in 1939, with Santos as the first Chief.
William Dubret ruled as the second Chief in 1940. Then came A.P. Gary, along with the first Choctaw Princess, Miss June Barnet in 1941. As the war struck closer to home, Chief Choctaw discontinued his activities until 1946. It was at this time that Chief Choctaw revived the annual river parade. John Beninate was the 1946 Chief Choctaw.
In 1939, dances and parties were held at various locations which eventually led to a ball and tableau at the Martin Behrman Memorial Gym, until 1949. In 1950, Chief Choctaw moved to the J.P. Skelly Memorial Gym. 1965, Chief Choctaw needed more room for his people and moved to the Municipal Auditorium. In 1980, Chief Choctaw held his first Pow Wow at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
1998 - Robert Heindel was elected as Captain
2003 - Choctaw moved it's parade to the Historic City of Gretna and paraded on Mardi Gras Day, Tuesday March 4, 2003
2005 - Choctaw's signature Chief's float was revaled as Chief Henry Landry rode through the streets of Gretna.
Float builder Mr. Phillip Fricano, Jr.
2007 - Choctaw's signature Captain's float was revealed to the public, built by Mr. Phillip Fricano, Jr.
2008 - The mighty Chief Choctaw returned to his traditional place on the Mardi Gras calendar, parading the first Saturday of Mardi Gras, January 26, 2008
2009 - Chief Choctaw will return to Terrytown and Gretna for the Mardi Gras of Love, February 14, 2009.
"Promote good fellowship, contribute to civic good,
encourage charity and keep alive the great spirit of Mardi Gras"
CHOCTAW'S
RIVER PARADE, THE ONLY SUCH EVENT IN CARNIVAL, WILL
BE HELD ON SAT. FEB.4TH 2012 ABOARD THE CREOLE QUEEN.
CRUISE EMBARKS FROM THE GRETNA FERRY LANDING AT 11:00AM
AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. TICKETS ARE $10.00 - www.kreweofchoctaw.com
CHOCTAW'S "BIG POW-WOW" WILL
BE HELD ON JANUARY 21, 2012 AT THE HYATT REGENCY HOTEL
About the Book Never before has the history of the Mardi Gras celebration been looked at this way. Errol Laborde focuses on the first 60 years of the organized celebration in New Orleans, a period that bridges the premiere parade of the Mistick Krewe of Comus and the founding of the Zulu organization. Along the way he discovers fascinating characters; including a poetic journalist who survived a bloody attack, an archduke looking for fun and a would-be king finding religion. Laborde also links an African War with Custer¹s Last Stand and disproves some of the conventional wisdom about Carnival¹s early history. This is the most important contemporary book on early Carnival history. And it fun to read too.
about Errol Laborde Errol Laborde is the Editor-in-Chief of Renaissance Publishing Company. In that capacity he serves as Editor/Associate Publisher of New Orleans Magazine and Editor/ Publisher of Louisiana Life Magazine.He also oversees several other company publications, including St. Charles Avenue and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.
Laborde is producer and a regular panelist on Informed Sources, a weekly news discussion program broadcast on public television station WYES-TV, Channel 12.
Laborde's
most recent books are Krewe: The Early Carnival from Comus to Zulu and Marched the Day God. a history of the Rex organization. He also wrote the text for a pictorial book, Mardi Gras- A Celebration and has published two compilations of his Streetcar local color columns, The Buzzard Wore A Tutu and I Never Danced With An Eggplant. BUY THE BOOK
