In 1906, the Tramps were holding parades in the back Streets of New Orleans. They followed no set routes, and catching the parade was hard. In 1915, heralded the first use of floats, constructed on a spring wagon, using dry good boxes. The float was decorated with palmetto leaves and moss and carried four Dukes along with the King. That humble beginning gave rise to the lavish floats we see in the Zulu parade today.

On September 20, 1916, in the notorial office of Gabriel Fernandez, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club was incorporated. Twenty-two of the organization's officers and members signed the first official document.

The Geddes and Moss Funeral Home, located on Washington Avenue, played an integral part in Zulu's beginning, and has continued to do so throughout the years. The first official toast of King Zulu and his Queen is held at this establishment each year.

Of all the throws to rain down from the many floats in the parades during carnival, the Zulu coconut or "Golden Nugget" is the most sought after. It has also become known as a Mardi Gras Coconut.  The earliest reference to the coconut appears to be about 1910 when the coconuts were given from the floats in their natural "hairy" state.  The coconut were a very cheap alternative to the somewhat expensive glass beads, that were being imported from over seas for the other Krewes of the time.

They were a practical throw, as well as a treat, for the crowds who were able to catch the early parades of the Zulu's. Before that, the krewe threwe walnuts that were painted gold. They were the "original golden nuggets", and where the name actually came from. However, when the club started throwing coconuts, the name stuck, as the larger nuts were gold as well.

Approximately 12 years later, in the early 1920's there is a reference in the archives to Lloyd Lucus, "the sign painter,"  scraping and painting coconuts. This, in all likelihood, was the forerunner to the decorated coconuts we see today. The standard coconut is the gold one with some decoration added in glitter. Other deviations of this are black, sliver, and other base colors. Most have the design of the black face that the Zulu's are noted for. The three eyes of the coconut is decorated to look as though it has a face, and that face is then dressed in Black face as the members are when they ride in the parades. Some people even give them hair and hats. 

 With the proliferation of lawsuits from people alleging injury from thrown coconuts, the organization was unable to get insurance coverage in 1987. So that year, the honored tradition was suspended. After much lobbying, the Louisiana Legislature passed SB188, aptly dubbed the "Coconut Bill," which excluded the coconut from liability for alleged injuries arising from the coconuts handed from the floats. On July 8, 1988, then-governor Edwards signed the bill into law.

The coconuts remained the same for the longest time until 1999, when Willie Clark, an electronics engineer, and local telecom worker, decided he would help the club to move the icon into the 21 century, aid the organization to earn money from it's club tradition.

He set about to learn as much about the coconut as possible, checking out books, and surfing the then young internet on the subject. A year later, he presented Myron Moorehead and his wife, Patricia Moorehead, the King and Queen of Zulu for that season, the first of the new design.

He has since, improved on the design and now markets the souvenirs on the internet. They are the next generation of the club's original throw, but are so far advanced of the original that they are now called Mardi Gras Coconuts.

The new souvenirs are cleaned out, meticulously carved, the engraved  by hand to place a permanent image on the surface of the coconut. Then it is decorated by hand, and very slowly in layers, to allow the precise placement of the colors glitter, which can number as much as 27 colors on one surface. Finally it is hand polished to become a permanent souvenirs as opposed to the "original which could only be held a maximum of 6 months to a year! These coconuts are limited in number each year,  handed out only to those who the club deems special, and of course the King receives a very specially carved coconut each year from the master carver, Willie Clark.

Willie continues to refine the technique and the process of producing these special souvenirs and practices his new art monthly. 

"African Wildlife Series"

  "Zebra!"

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