Kickstarter

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"We Won’t Bow Down" is a feature length documentary on the past, present and future of the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans.

What we are doing:
We are raising money to finish production of the feature length documentary “We Won’t Bow Down” which is six years in the making. This is an exceptionally long schedule for a film, but it has been necessary to properly explore the depth of the extremely secretive Mardi Gras Indian culture.

Why we are doing this:
“We Won’t Bow Down” has been a labor of love and we believe the film is a vehicle to carry the Mardi Gras Indian message of resistance through art, community, hope and healing to the world - while also faithfully documenting an amazing culture.

What we need:
We are in the home stretch and the only thing we need now is the funds to cross the finish line. We have exhausted our funding as well as our personal finances and need help with the final push.

Who we are:
Our team has produced award winning short and feature films, music videos for artists with Atlantic, Capitol, Zomba, Asylum, Koch Records (E-1) & Warner Bros. record labels as well as content for History Channel, ABC, PBS, CW, MTV, BET, HSN, Telemundo, EA Sports, and the Sportsman Channel to name a few.

http://wewontbowdown.com/
http://chrisbower.tumblr.com/
http://www.blackboxphoto.info/
http://www.cinemafoundry.com/
http://www.nilopost.com/

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The history of the Mardi Gras Indian dates back to the 18th century, when African slaves escaped into the swamps surrounding New Orleans and assimilated into tribes like the Choctaw, Seminole and Chickasaw. Liberated Africans and Native Americans were bound together by resistance to slavery, exploitation and oppression; and found their customs, music and dance to be very similar.
After abolition, African Americans began to express their history and culture by “Masking as Indians” during Mardi Gras celebrations. Wearing elaborate headdress and intricately beaded suits, each tribe makes a ceremonial procession through their neighborhood in full regalia to share this tradition with their community and to meet rival tribes in symbolic battle; with traditional music, chants and dance.
Each year tribe members hand-sew a new suit to honor their ancestors and to express a culture that is ancient, mystical and vibrantly alive. Modern day Mardi Gras Indian culture is thriving with amazing variety, creativity, craftsmanship and commitment to; resistance through art, heritage and community, that is as old as this nation.