The Krewe of Oshun parade moved through the heart of Scotlandville on Saturday afternoon, despite windy and cold conditions.
Children stood along the parade route, snug in their puffer jackets against the afternoon’s temperatures in the mid- to upper 30s.
Joining the annual Mardi Gras celebration in North Baton Rouge were trumpets and band students from McKinley High School, their banner front and center as they stepped in sync.
Then came the band from Scotlandville Magnet High School in black and gold. And the band from the Madison Preparatory Academy, whose leader stomp-jumped through the air. And much more.
The day’s chill reduced the turnout – from around 5,000 more last year to much less Saturday – but not the enthusiasm of those in the parade or watching along the route starting on Howell Boulevard, then running to 72nd Avenue and Scenic Highway before ending on Harding Boulevard near Southern University.
Onlookers showed their appreciation with claps muffled by gloves. Children, their arms encased in coats, held bags seeking treats.
Philip Shelley, in his first year as band director at Scotlandville High, said it was important for children to come out and witness the parade even in chilly weather.
“Kids need to be out there and see positive activities in neighborhoods and see positive interactions,” Shelley said.
For Shamia Walker, a senior at Scotlandville High School, the parade marked her final time marching with the band and a chance to inspire younger children watching along the route.
“Doing this and doing it in the cold weather, it doesn’t matter. We still have to do it,” said Walker, who plays mellophone in the band.
Watching the parade, Pat McAllister-LeDuffe, a Southern University sociology graduate, said the Scotlandville Mardi Gras parade’s history is about bringing the community together.
“Having a day,” she said, “where I can see police and they’re not coming for a shooting or something, but a day of enjoyment for the family.”
The parade’s organizer, Byron Washington, said the Krewe of Oshun emphasizes the importance of celebrating Black culture in Scotlandville for Baton Rouge natives and of building community, no matter what the weather.
“Because when we celebrate our culture and heritage in Mardi Gras, we want to have consistency,” Washington said. “And whether it be really, really hot or cold like this, Mardi Gras is going all around South h.”
The krewe’s name draws from African history and mythology. The name Oshun traces back to a revered African queen and the Yoruba goddess of wealth, prosperity and beauty.
Ann Clark founded the Krewe of Oshun in 1966 to create a carnival organization that expanded access to Mardi Gras, a celebration long dominated by the wealthy. That same year, the krewe received its official carnival permit and secured the first Friday night parade slot of the Mardi Gras season, a highly sought-after position, according to the Krewe of Oshun website.
Ryan Thompson, the parade’s grand marshal, said the Krewe of Oshun parade is important because it underscores that representation for all is everything. Thompson also is an attorney and graduate of the Southern University Law Center.
“It was just a pleasure for me to see the kids come out, even in the cold weather, waving and smiling,” Thompson said.
This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the non-profit h Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.