When Jonathan Isaac Jackson set out to make the film Big Chief, Black Hawk, he wanted to break out of the “box” of typical documentaries about New Orleans. He took a deep dive into the world of Mardi Gras Masking Indians, whose culture struggles to survive amid gentrification and changing demographics. The film premieres on February 16 at 8pm on GBH WORLD.

“In New Orleans, there are two experiences of Mardi Gras—one you see and one you experience,” said Jackson. “Beyond what most of us see—revelry, parades and other festivities—there’s another celebration that has profound significance for the cultural identity of the city—ancestors congregating in the present, passing on words and movements that are as old as time itself.”

The film follows 16-year-old Terrence Williams Jr. (Big Chief T) as he prepares his colorful and intricate suit for the Mardi Gras parade. Big Chief, Black Hawk has been nominated for best documentary by the American Black Film Festival, Black Film Festival of New Orleans, the Newark Black Film Festival and the Black Reel Awards and was named the top Hollywood South film of 2021 by nola.com.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Jackson had long known about the Masking Indians, and was even “terrified” of them as a child. But as he came to learn more, he discovered that most Black people from New Orleans likely have Indigenous blood. And some historians believe that the Masking Indians named themselves after Native Americans to pay them respect for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery. Others suggest that masking traditions are of African origin and passed along to protect history.

As Jackson, who is currently pursuing his MFA in film at Vermont College of Fine Arts, explored more deeply, he found that the Masking Indians have a culture that is not so different from his own.

“I realized how intricately connected we are—through food, music, culture, clothing. I wanted to document those connections so that Black New Orleanians can see ourselves as a community that is connected to something that’s bigger,” said Jackson. “Once we start seeing how connected we are as Black people and people of the Diaspora, it kind of alleviates the idea of us being ‘other.’”

As he started working on the film, he faced the question of appropriation. “Were we as African Americans appropriating Indigenous cultures?” he said. “I wanted to discover the connections between Indigenous people and African Americans in New Orleans—what has been and what it is now.”

The threat of cultural disappearance permeates the film. “In New Orleans, the fears of the African American community are similar to those of Native Americans—that over time, the culture of the city will slowly disappear, and what’s left will be monetized,” said Jackson.

“Gentrification upsets Black communities because it eliminates the culture of the community and it removes the people from the community,” said Xavier University of Louisiana sociologist Charity Clay in the film. And, making it worse, she added, the developers “profit on the allure of Black culture.”

Viewers meet Chief T’s family, including his mother Tinice “Tee” Williams, who played an integral role as producer. Jackson spent months getting to know her before he even introduced a camera.

“I wanted to make sure that she was 100 percent comfortable with me and what I was trying to do,” he said. “Miss Tee had more of a connection to the community than I did, so if I needed something, she would make a connection to help me.”

The film is infused with the magnetism of music. “I wanted this film to feel like a Stevie Wonder album,” said Jackson. “I always play music while I’m editing, hoping that in some subconscious way, whatever structure that they used to create this beautiful song will flow into me and flow out into the film.”

He also hopes the film will bring deeper understanding and peace. “This film hopefully will be one piece of helping people understand how important connection is and help people have peace with our history. Our Black identity is all connected. We’re not as different as we seem within the African American community.”