Carnival Caravan is a recording that explores two distant musical cultures separated at birth. It is a tale of two cultures that were born into bondage and survived through a musical journey to freedom and self-expression. The Mardi Gras Indian Tribes of New Orleans and the Maracatu Nations of northeastern Brazil have been marginalized throughout history, both threatened by hardship, poverty and social injustice. Common ground is readily found between these two cultures of storytellers, musicians, dancers, and artists. Nation Beat has joined forces with Cha Wa to bring these distant cousins together in a unique recording entitled “Carnival Caravan”. Hailing from Brazil, Nation Beat's lead singer Fabiana Masili was shocked when she learned that it is taboo for women to sing the traditional Mardi Gras Indian chants from New Orleans. She was also surprised to learn that she is the first woman who has ever recorded a traditional Mardi Gras Indian chant, according to Spy Boy Honey Banister, a traditional Mardi Gras Indian singer in Cha Wa and a noted expert in the history of Mardi Gras Indian culture. This recording and collaboration has broken that taboo along with others. This is the first time in history that a Mardi Gras Indian group has recorded their call and response melodies with a Brazilian percussion ensemble, and by extension exploring each other’s cultural identities through a new musical discourse. This collaboration was born in New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day, 2012. Scott Kettner (Nation Beat) and Joe Gelini (Cha Wa) met in front of Big Chief Monk Boudreaux’s house awaiting the Golden Eagle Tribe. As Scott and Joe paraded together they began a musical dialogue. Although they were playing rhythms from different continents, their rhythmic conversation made it clear that there was a cultural and musical connection. Since meeting and performing together, both band leaders have realized the necessity to record this mash-up. While performing together in 2014 throughout the USA, both bands created a successful partnership which has taken Carnival Caravan into the recording studio for their debut EP release.