House of Dance and Feathers

To get a down to earth true ninth ward view of the Mardi Gras Indians and their history along with social and pleasure clubs of the lower ninth ward, you only need to stop at one place and this is it. Ronald Lewis does an excellent job with this tiny museum located in his backyard on Tupelo street. He has history in there from before and after Katrina and a myriad of information to share about his experiences as well as what it takes to be a Mardi Gras Indian. You get a real feel for the culture in this place it is a homey small place but to be honest I would rather learn about our culture by going here rather than a large sterile museum.You need to phone ahead to see his amazing personal collection of items and bring some cold water as you won't find air conditioning here. What you will find is is years of New Orleans culture and get a closer look at what makes the Mardi Gras Indians so special.

I love the reviews on this page from other people like me who came to this sweet ramshackle backyard collection in the Lower Ninth Ward and loved Mr. Lewis and the stories he has to tell. We came on a bike tour (see my last review) and brought out lunches (see the next one!) We sat in the yard and ate and chatted with Mr Lewis and his warm resilient heart was immediately apparent. An older Jewish couple were part of our group and Mr Lewis was proud to tell them stories about becoming part of the Krewe de Jieux and hosting a Passover Seder in his home and becoming great friends with his local Rabbi. It was an unexpected bit that gave a little more insight into the thoughtfulness and depth of the man. The collection he has is fascinating, especially the old photos of all the Mardi Gras Indian costumes and the samples from his incredible beadwork. The real treasure here is the man himself, go spend time with him and learn from him when you can.

The Battle for New Orleans . . .When we decided to take this trip to New Orleans, I wanted to do this vacation right. My goal was to experence some of the city's culture, and coming to House of Dance and Feathers was a huge notch on my NOLA belt!It's one thing to come down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and get crazy, but what many people miss out on is the meaning and traditions behind Carnival Time. Much of this history and tradition is found here.Ronald K. Lewis is a citizen of the Lower Ninth Ward, an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. However, House of Dance and Feathers predates this disaster. Since 2000, Lewis has made it his goal to preserve the history of the Mardi Gras Indians, and his little shed in the backyard stands as a shrine to his work and an underappreciated tradition.The different handmade costumes are displayed by Lewis with great pride. The scene is quite stunning. However, what's truly moving is the conversation shared with Ronald. He represents a group of determined people that never gave up on the City that Care Forgot. Lewis doesn't really benefit from his museum, aside from the few donations that he receives. Nonetheless, he sits there, soft spoken, and tells his story and the story of others.Coming to Ronald can be a little intimidating. The Lower Ninth Ward seems heavy, but it's definitely worth the trip.

Mardi Gras Indians have fascinated me from my first trip to New Orleans. Ronald Lewis's House of Dance & Feathers has been on my to-do list for a long time, but going into the Lower 9th had always seemed a little voyeuristic. Like gawking at someone else's misfortune. But I after reading the book Nine Lives (you should, too), I had to meet Mr. Lewis.His collection of Mardi Gras Indian and Social Aid & Pleasure club lore is comprehensive and fascinating to look at, but my greatest pleasure was listening to Mr. Lewis. He has a story about every piece of history in the place, and hearing about Katrina from someone who lived it was heartbreaking. There's a sign on the front of the museum that says "Come in a stranger and leave a friend," and it's absolutely true. Mr. Lewis is one of the warmest, sweetest people I've ever met, and even on the first meeting, I felt like I could sit and talk with him all day long. Someday maybe I will.

Great artifacts from the Mardi Gras Indian culture. Mr. Ronald Lewis amazing!

WOW...this is an amazing place! My group came as part of a bike tour and I would have to say, this place and Mr. Lewis was the highlight of the whole bike tour. Talking to him was like talking to an old grandfather or uncle or elder. He had stories and wisdom that if your open to you can just soak up like a sponge. His museum though small gave me a birds eye view of the Mardi Gras Indians and the VERY RICH history behind them. His stories allowed me to really get a sense of what was lost due to Katrina and makes me worry about the longevity of a culture that is loosing its youth due to lack of hope many youths have for New Orleans. They need jobs, so families can stay and the history can be passed down as it always has been from generation to generation. One of the most important facts I learned was that 95% of families in the 9th ward owned their homes. BLACK HOME OWNERSHIP at that rate is amazing...Katrina washed a lot of that away. There is so much to the 9th ward...Mr. Lewis and his museum is just the start.

Sometimes Yelp makes me want to freaking bang my head, and not in a late 80s Twisted Sister good way.Curious what other local Yelpers think of the House of Dance and Feathers, a personal museum of Mardi Gras Indians and Ninth Ward social clubs and a testament to the local culture of that neighborhood that made rebuilding it so important, I find nothing. If New Orleans had a Nobel Prize it would go to Ronald Lewis (He was the King of the 2008 Krewe de Vieux, which really is the same thing). Ronald is the curator and host at his own backyard museum. After being a parading Mardi Gras Indian through much of his adult life, he filled his house, like his life, with costumes and feathers, an amazing collection...which meant that since it was all on Tupelo Street, it all ended up under a lot of water. If you've ever left a peacock in 10 feet of sludge water for a month, you can imagine what happened.Undeterred, not only to move back to the house and neighborhood that made him what he was, but to restart his museum, he got to collecting again, from scratch, from friends, neighbors, and a bunch of New Orleanians who knew how important his work was. Architectural students from around the country helped him rebuild not only the house, but a new and bigger showcase or his newly growing collection. And with an easy bike ride or car trip he will tell you all about it.He is featured in Nine Lives (http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lives-Mystery-Magic-Orleans/dp/0385523203/ref=pd_sim_b_2) and his own book put out by the Neighborhood Story project (and best to buy personally from him on your visit). But a book is not the best way to get his take on his life, his neighborhood, and New Orleans, a visit and his irrepressible smile is.Call first, so he can make sure he will be there to show you and tell you all about local history personally. Ronald Lewis is a local treasure, take a trip on out to learn real New Orleans history.

My wife and I were glad we made the trip to meet Mr. Lewis and see his tiny but densely packed museum commemorating the culture and people of New Orleans. Be sure and call ahead, because he takes loose appointments since he is the sole operator. And come with questions about New Orleans culture. He was knowledgeable and happy to talk on a number of subjects (the Black Indians, the Skull and Bones Gangs, the Baby Dolls, the parades, the touristy aspects of New Orleans relative to the rest of it, the relationship of the African American and Native American communities in the area).Google Maps made using the bus system a piece of cake. We were staying in that gaudy Hyatt in the Commercial District, so we just hopped an 88 bus. We got off at Tupelo and his address was a three minute walk down Tupelo. Afterward, the 88 picked us up at the same stop (it turns around for its return trip just a few blocks up) and we were back to our hotel in 45 minutes. And hey, if you're a nervous person of privilege (it happens to all of us), just be friendly. We're all neighbors. :)Oh, and he's asking $30 for his book. I brought cash because I have no idea if he's rocking Square on an iPad somewhere. It's coffee-table-book size, and a beautiful publication, which he'll inscribe to you for you. (http://www.amazon.com/House-Dance-Feathers-Museum-Ronald/dp/0970619073/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415910658&sr=1-1&keywords=house+of+dance+and+feathers)

This is a place you must go, plan 30-60 mins. Miss Minnie Lewis is a wonderful and knowledgeable host who brought the museum's collection to life for us. Great for locals and visitors alike. Call ahead.

Mr Ronald Lewis is a true Ninth Ward gem! What a real treat it was to visit the House of Dance and Feathers. Mr. Lewis curates a personalized experience as he shares the history of his beloved New Orleans. We truly enjoyed our experience and left being more in love with New Orleans and those who call the Ninth Ward home. Roots run deep here!!!!!