New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-28
4 CREOLE TOUDOU DANCE.

FroUa me Nc1C-OrIedns Times Democrat
The picture inside the room was not parilcu-
1arIv novel 10 any OF the party as all had peeu
on such occasions before, but to stranger II would nave
been novelty to say the least. ,.t t,o,
seated on the floor with their legs crossed beeh len
-ore abo1 twenty-five negro men ana women the men
in their shirt and the women win IhelI ueS
In inc centre OF the floor there was spread Shall "a
bleclotn, at the corners OF Which Two 'doW "a -
b d, being held In place ny AiOeu u '"'" ''-
rece on the cloth there a shallow In
din bosket filed with weeds, or, as they called lur
berbes Around the basket were dlnlnuuFe iilcs VI
beans and corn. and just outside OF tlese I'o ~
small homes whether human or not coud hol De ON
some curi0nsy wrought lunches OF feathers Nere le
next Communications near TIE edge Oh o1e tioI % Ou
Ihe only person enjoying The Hstocra'lc pIiyess o.
char was a bright cdtc an aH woman OF ABOUT lor'S
, Who sst p one corner of the room looAng on We
scene he ore her with air OF dignity 0He hu 'tt
te but beside her two old ana ~ .I, b,,i.in,e
haIre and her features showed thai sne we uOD ~
,ss tnovrn in cid times As field hands. she was cyl
SHI, td ab01f tho plautatiOu house. She was nea ~
tired IN blue calico, with wnlte dots -pIlkeu Fi IT,
and on ber head q brilliant tgnOn was gtaceluy tls.
-, tnrurv m was learned that her name was MaNlua
Tatour and that she the queen A. sOou a. ~
isitors mad squated IN their place. agahst to
Ill an cd negro man. whose wool was white WIN ye4is
bc@ap scraping on a two-strnged sort OF a hlHe Ile
mn three inches nm diameter being covered with nIlsn
~ notrled snake skim This was the signal 10 Two yVu.
,1uafOes beside hin, who commenced 10 9edt WIN nc,
tanbs on little drums made OF sOurds ana cONereu VIII
sSTbtse fam-tams gave forth short hollow hoe Oh pc
clar sound and bit accompaniment OF 'ie plai
tve fiddle if TO inspire those present WIN ' 70
estness OF the occasion, the old daIkey Io[6 - s
around the room and then stamping ais 1901 'HIee i'
"roIgimed 4 treSent commence. .. & -, D.
IA stnning ont toward the middle o. the hoor
tai and siuewy negro called the attention OF an % MN,
lie looked Hercules and his lace was any 'n4S 'u' "
Nervous with restrained emotion he commences ~ y
in low voice, which gratH9ny o1 a. foIoWs:
iofider a song one stanZa OF when ran d' 4Oio"s'
TIE soSG.
Male eouri dan 1s desc sayane.
Malle maTche 81 piquan dsie'
Male Or Ga va Oh lhoh'
sano4 moline dan iabitation CT 10 lli
Mo sOutchien IA Lou4slu4Ae'
Malice or Ga va Ill moin'
Which can be translated as follows:
Twill wander into the desert
I will march through the prairie
viii walk upon the golden thorn
Who is there who can stop mel
To change me from this plantationi
have the support OF Louisiana ana
Who il there who can resist INC
sang he seemed to grow in stature and his eyes
80 10 rol in .ort OF wild frenzy. There was IeTOciy
IN rvery word boldness and defiance II every ssi
Keeping time to his song the tan-las anu tbt n
1ard and savagey mOnOOnOus accompaniment ia -
was easy TO believe not unlike the savage nuSio VI
AT When il came time for all TO JON in the refrain he
waved his arms and then from every throat went up
MALE Or ca va di mon"
He had hardly ended the fourth stahza aSiTr on %
women uttering loud cry, Jo'ned tueI e1, ~ oIn
a. a3d these three began march aTouhu the ool.
A. the soug progressed, on euacldleH gVAhs $50
stepped out, and, amid the SHOUTS VI ALI '''- -
the others. ..o.. o0.c,.d
s III and in a sort OF deirum he picked up W. vi m
capdies and marched with theIIrin ms manu- t ~
esliuieS .its the Queen she gave him sOmstnlng m
drinF ONT OF bottle AFTER swallowing some he ~
a mouthful which, with peculiar D'o"lhs Is a. a.
Ired in mist IRON his lips, holding the candle 50 ai
~ eatch the yapOr As alcohol IL pih1eI W "
this attempt at necromancy was hae o Win all ia
Tben commenced the regular yOudou dahce' VIZ, 81, ~
,s and contortons Two Of the women zen eh
hausted 10 the floor IN frenzy ana lIoens ont NJ thr
snd she emaeated young man was caIIleu GUY syy thc
anu nnconS Enough had been seen 70 satsy tr'
guests and leaving the now hlshy for the civ the
Continuing the dance d sIaiI "dS A ~
hour being O'Clock -.. oo,,td no qaid Of this
Much more. did the hOur permit coilu Oe ' -
wild, fantastlc o:gie