On a Mardi Gras morning, adorned in a vibrant crown shaped like a lion’s face and a dazzling display of orange feathers, Diedra “Deepa Soul” Meredith joined the Golden Feather Hunters as a Mardi Gras Indian for the first time.
A local multimedia artist, Meredith’s journey to the streets of New Orleans East was nothing short of electrifying. Her entrance into the Black Masking Indians tradition added a unique twist to the centuries-old custom.
A Bold Identity: The Woman King
Meredith has carved her own path within the Mardi Gras Indian culture, claiming the title of “Woman King.” In this role, she doesn’t follow traditional titles like Big Chief, Queen, or Spy Boy but instead crafted a signature identity that is uniquely hers.
Inspired by the 2022 historical action film “The Woman King”, Meredith chose a lion headdress, which she named Nawi, after the last female warrior in the film. The headdress draws inspiration from a lion statue at City Park’s Peristyle and represents her fierce determination and warrior spirit…