On June 2, Cha Wa will take the stage at d.b.a on Frenchmen Street. Cha Wa is one of the city’s modern groups that maintains the tradition of fusing Black Masking Mardi Gras Indian culture with contemporary styles of music. 

The Mardi Gras Indians emerged when African Americans and indigenous peoples mixed their unique cultures, which in many ways define the musical traditions of New Orleans. Music is a crucial part of the tradition, along with their elaborate, colorful, story-telling regalia. While historically, their music has revolved around chants and homemade hand percussion, in the 1950s, the music became more mainstream as the culture mixed with the rise of New Orleans R&B. In the 70s, the culture gained an international platform due to bands like the Wild Magnolias, who carried the culture through funk when their Big Chief, Bo Dollis became a local star. Cha Wa bandleader and drummer Joe Gelini strives to capture this historical tradition and its mixing with 70’s funk, taking inspiration from the Meters and the Neville Brothers as well as Mardi Gras Indian legends like Monk Boudreaux. 

Cha Wa has set a clear example for mixing modern genres with Mardi Gras Indian traditions. Other artists like The Rumble, led by Monk Boudreaux’s son Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., and one of the fastest-rising acts of 2023, rapper Flagboy Giz, carry this tradition as well. In 2021 Cha Wa released their third album, My People, on Single Lock Records, which was nominated for a Grammy, much like their previous album Spyboy. 

The show is 21+, starts at 10:00 p.m., and tickets are $20.