Covering the Business & Fun of the  Carnival Industry

The Valley of the Silent Men 

Begins the new season of Main Line Parades

Sunday, August 30, 2009 .....by Marian McElwee... NEW ORLEANS ----On Sunday, August 30^th, 2009 we covered our 1^st Second Line Parade of the 2009 -2010 Main Line season in New Orleans , LA.   This first leg of the Mardi Gras season covers the unique African American Culture that has been a fabric of the New Orleans culture for decades.

 The Valley of the Silent Men Social & Pleasure Club started the season, (as they all do), in grand style.  The crowd was large and disciplined, with the police presence vigilant and standing tall, and of course the smell of food and fun was everywhere.

 The parade started at 1:00pm at the S&S Lounge, located at 2600 Martin Luther King, Jr. located in an area call Uptown of New Orleans.  We caught up with the groups after their wardrobe change.  The groups start their parade in casual ware designed for coolness as they parade the streets of New Orleans .  Along the route, there is a wardrobe change in which the groups changes into their Sunday best to continue the celebration.

 We caught up with the parade on Simon Bolivar Blvd.   We could hear them coming as the Brass Band whaled New Orleans tunes.  As the procession approached, the Grand Marshall beckoned me over to his car to give me a red rose.  A red or pink rose is a symbol of life. In keeping with tradition as form of greeting a woman, this shows respect, acknowledges that a women can give earthly pleasures, most men give this honor only to those they find attractive and since the rose is a sign of life, women are the vessel of life.  I graciously accepted.  The group was dressed in white with all the accessories.  BOY DID THEY LOOK HANDSOME!  This year the group is celebrating 24 years of marching on the streets of New Orleans . 

 Since the bad press received about these second lines, it has become very important that each organization remind parade goers to be nice to each other, have fun and enjoy themselves. I always like to look for the different food items along the route, however may I suggest only partaking food from licensed vendors.  There are always plenty of liquids, carnival items such as candy apples, popcorn and chips.

We were pleased to see a new element along the route, fresh fruit!  I enjoyed the freshly cut fruit, because it was refreshing and cold.  However, there is one thing missing along the route, public restrooms. So when you are walking with the parade you have to remember that the restrooms are  strategically located a public restrooms before you start. I should say though at each one of the stops restrooms are available.

 The VOSM paid tribute to an individual named Ja’Shawn Powell along the route. When the groups loose an individual through death they commemorate they passing by performing a Dirge.  This slow march is a semblance of a funeral procession and harkens back to the time when these clubs served as the funeral procession to bear the body to its place of interment. We were unable to find out what happened to Ja’Shawn, however, to the family and the group our deepest sympathies.

The parade ended at Dorothy’s Lounge, which is located on South Liberty Street .  Ms. Dorothy, the owner was very accommodating, as she offered us a meal as we waited for the parade to arrive. Ms. Dorothy prepares Sunday Dinner for local residents, seniors that are maybe single and desire a home cooked meal, those that maybe homeless and need nourishment or for the customers that stop by for a beverage or two.

 On the Sunday we were there, dinner was Red Beans and Rice with Fried Chicken.  This community bond has gone on for years and we must salute Ms. Dorothy for giving hope in a time of despair and feeding those less fortunate with love and care.

The Valley of the Silent Men Social and Pleasure Club parade is supported by grants from the New Orleans Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force, The Norman Dixon, Sr. Annual Second Line Parade Fund, Jazz and Heritage Foundation, The Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund.

Next Stop Black Men of Labor….