In New Orleans, Mardi Gras "Indians" are carnival revelers who dress up for Mardi Gras in costumes influenced by Native American ceremonial attire. "Indians" often spend the entire year and thousands of dollars crafting their intricate designs with feathers, beads, and other decorations. As cultural icons in New Orleans, their images are often captured by photographers, who profit from the sale of these pictures. The Indians’ creations are not copyrightable because the law views costumes as functional items, not artistic works. What are the Indians’ best arguments to change the law? Should cultural works be owned?
