July 4, 2008
Had our last practice on Wednesday and took this group photo. That's me in the front row, holding the skull. Next to me is Ivory "Wild" Holmes, and next to him is percussionist Luther Grey. In the back row (l-r) is Chief Kentrell Watson, Jamal "Zulu" Casby and cameraman William Sabourin. We are a performing group from New Orleans, made up of Mardi Gras Indians, drummers and Skeletons, calling ourselves El Carnaval Negro (the black carnival).

On Monday we leave for a two week tour through Guatemala and Honduras, sponsored by the U.S. State Dept. and the consulates of those countries, to spread New Orleans' black Mardi Gras culture to Central America. We also look forward to connecting with artists and musicians of the Mayan and Garifuna cultures and digging the people, sights and nature of Central America, where none of us has been before.

I plan on keeping this journal (I can't bring myself to call it a blog) for the length of the tour, and hopefully include photos, music and video along the way. If I fail to keep it up, please don't hold it against me. We are from New Orleans, and plan to have our fun. Royce Osborn