"We've just left the shores of lake Pontchartrain, which Bartram sailed across in 1775. Unlike Bartram however, we detoured south to the metropolis of New Orleans where we spent the Thanksgiving holiday feasting on smoked, deep-fried turkey with Dana's lively comrades: Courtney, Raven, Jayme, Jackie, Mike and others as well as assorted dogs. We were guests of Raven and Jayme in their comfortable double shotgun house in the Bywater district. Here we spent days richly entertained in between collection excursions. The wild lands and parks we visited were either closed to access or deeply scarred by Hurricane Katrina.

"Dana associates with a cultural community here which shares an affinity with the aesthetics with the circus, carnival and vaudeville tradition. This creative interrogation of the carnivalesque doubtlessly owes a debt to the cultural primacy of Mardi Gras, but also extends to include popular entertainments as diverse as the high wire, burlesque and even puppet theater. Not only are our friends passionate about getting dressed up, but they are also accomplished musicians and performers. The music, brilliantly composed and performed, references numerous stage, parade and big-top traditions is diverse, generous and distinctively bawdy. In fact, all of these expressive forms flirt with the seedier side of adult entertainment. They also consciously exploit the political potential of the carnivalesque, which employs parody and satire in not too subtle doses. For example, one night we attended a violent and hysterical puppet show, which took the form of a game show, and although conducted entirely in gibberish its insightful critique was entirely accessible and highly amusing. I'm impressed with the vibrance of the cultural scene, particularly with regard to music and performance. I only wish I could stay awake late enough to enjoy the majority of it."

- M

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