Vive Le Nain! Le Marche du Nain Rouge Parade - Sunday March 25
DetroitYES is pleased to be a sponsor of the Nain Rouge Parade and Festivities. For the unfamiliar, this is one of the most joyful and quirky-fun events to emerge in recent times.
Le Nain Rouge or the Red Dwarf is a Detroit legend who appearance has been alleged to presage evil events in Detroit and therefore needs to be banished.
But does he? Are the problems his fault? Or ours? The Native American take is different as noted in Gazhekwe's post from last year cited below.
Isn't Detroit big enough and open-minded enough to welcome Le Nain and bring him over to our side? How about instead of driving him away we welcome him? I say yes and 'Vive Le Nain Rouge'. :) Besides doesn't Detroit need the all the residents it can get?
This is a fun-for-all event. See pictures and video of last year's event here.
Quote:
Legend has it that le Nain Rouge was an Indian child, and not a dwarf. The French called the Indians Peaux Rouges, so the term Rouge would in this case refer to that terminology. The skin would not be bright lipstick red, but the color of mahogany, maybe. The child is the son of Miche Piishoo, the Great Lynx, the water spirit who controls the lakes, and whose good will can make for safe travels and good fishing. After some benighted Catholic priests destroyed a stone that had been chosen as a place to honor Miche Piishoo, the son was determined on vengeance. That is what his appearances indicate, not so much an evil created but a vengeful, 'Take that, Detroit!'
In some sense, his appearances could be regarded as warnings, in the same way that his father sends warning of unsafe travel in most cases. The bad things happen, but if we heed the warning, we can protect ourselves. We might be able to appease the little red one by again creating a place for those who wish to honor his father. Respect is all anyone wants, including a powerful water spirit and his son.
Gazhekwe's post
