“Caliphs of Cairo.” I have a very nice call out favor I inherited from my mother that she received many, many years ago when my uncle was King. Is the organization still in existence? Zoe C. Schluter
of the Taino people, indigenous Native Americans of Cuba and the Antilles. Miss Virginia Diggett, representing the goddess of rain, ruled as the Caliphs’ first Queen; her unnamed King depicted Jolocco.
B a t on Roug e
The Caliphs of Cairo were established in 1937 and remain an active krewe. They are not a parading organization (the listing in the magazine was of groups that march); their Carnival celebration is an annual tableau ball. Like many older krewes, their King’s identity is a closely guarded secret but the Queen and her court are identified in published accounts of the annual ball. The Caliphs of Cairo first appeared in the 1937 Carnival season. Their first ball, held at the Municipal Auditorium, recounted the story of “Joloco the Rainbow God,” a legend
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APRIL 2014
myneworleans.com
Dear Julia, Do you know anything about a former West Bank Carnival; krewe known as Jefla? Shannon Halpern R iver Ridge
On Oct. 11, 1948, the Jefferson Carnival Club met at 339 Monroe St. in Gretna’s McDonoghville neighborhood to select their first Carnival ruler, King Jefla. As with Alla (Algiers, La.) and Grela (Gretna, La.), Jefla’s name was a combination of the first letters of the name of the krewe’s home and the abbreviation for its home state; Jefla stood for Jefferson, La. Newspaper accounts occasionally report-
ed the krewe name as Jeffla but Jefla appears to have been the preferred spelling of this short-lived Carnival organization’s name. On Sunday evening, Feb. 27, 1949, Jefla’s “torch bearers” met at the Shangri-La Club prior to the krewe’s first 11-float parade to receive last-minute instructions from their Captain, Sam Centineo. The Westbank’s first night parade, led by King Louis Badalamento and Queen Norma Calzada, saluted “Fables of Jefferson Parish,” touting Jefferson’s history and natural attractions. The parade began at the corner of Columbus and Monroe streets and wound its way from Gretna’s McDonoghville neighborhood to downtown Gretna. Following the street parade, the krewe’s ball commenced at the Gretna High School gymnasium. Jefla’s first floats had been borrowed, but those
for its second parade were purchased. In October 1949, the Jefferson Carnival Club bought from the Old Reliable Carnival Club (better known as the Krewe of Choctaw) 10 floats that Choctaw had used in that years’s Carnival season. When Jefla returned for the 1950 season, King John A. Flynn and his Queen, Miss Jeannette Martin led the parade, the theme of which was “Say It With Love.” Jefla appeared only once more, holding its last parade and ball in 1951. The theme for Jefla’s final 10-float parade and ball was “King Jefla Visits Comicland.” Joseph Chimento and Miss Sidonia Terrebonne ruled over the festivities as King Jefla and his consort. Inclement weather forced Jefla to parade during the day for its final public appearance. The following Carnival season, Jefla was absorbed into the new and similarly short-lived Krewe of Midas.