A 26-year-old is making history, becoming the first artist to partner with the NFL to create a special logo and theme art for Super Bowl LIX.
Tahj Williams, a queen of the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, is showcasing her Black Masking Indian culture and New Orleans culture with an intricate, hand-beaded creation of the Super Bowl LIX logo and theme art.
Williams told New Orleans ABC affiliate WGNO ahead of Sunday's big game that it is "a huge honor" to be chosen to work with the NFL.
"This is definitely a moment that is going to live with me forever," Williams said.
The NFL said they wanted to amplify local New Orleans culture with Super Bowl LIX taking place in the Big Easy this year.
"Queen Tahj's deep connection to her community and extraordinary talent made her the perfect artist for this project," Marissa Solis, NFL senior vice president of global brand and consumer marketing, said in a press release. "Her work authentically honors the cultural roots of New Orleans while celebrating the city's vibrant spirit, and we're excited to spotlight it on the Super Bowl stage and honor the communities that make New Orleans so special."
Both the logo and theme art feature Williams' creativity through beads in vibrant colors typical of Black Masking Indian culture, from bright pinks and rich reds to eye-catching chartreuses and verdant greens.
Black Masking Indians, also known as Mardi Gras Indians, who are separate from federally recognized or state recognized tribes of Louisiana, have a strong culture of art and pageantry that has been passed down since the 1800s. The culture emerged from an exchange of traditions between African slaves and local Native American groups in the 19th century.
Over the years, multiple groups, called tribes, such as Williams' Golden Eagles, have evolved to keep Indigenous, African American and Creole traditions alive. The Black Masking Indians participate in Mardi Gras each year, donning Native American-inspired suits for the celebration, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Williams has honed her beadwork craft for years and told WGNO she typically spends over 40 hours a week making her Black Masking Indian suit.
"When people think about New Orleans, they think about the French Quarter -- and all of that is definitely New Orleans. But I think sometimes people forget that we have second line culture, the brass band culture, the Baby Doll culture, Skull and Bone gang, the Black Masking Indians, and I just wanted that to shine through," Williams said.
Williams hopes her art can raise awareness of and inspire a new generation to keep the deep and rich stories of her ancestors and community alive.
"Since [I was] a kid, this is all I've ever known. We grow up going to second lines every Sunday and can't wait, and you're sleeping next to whatever outfit you plan on wearing for that particular second line, waking up to go see the Big Chief that comes out of your neighborhood every year, and I just wanted everyone to get those feelings that I used to get as a child looking at New Orleans culture," Williams said.
Williams' rendition of the Super Bowl LIX theme art is featured on digital game tickets, this year's official program cover, and at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans hotel.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will compete in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
