As he continues and builds on the tradition in his costuming, each year Montana pushes himself to make his suits "bigger and better." His current suits are made of up to five hundred various sized pieces of fabric hand-sewn with thousands of feathers, beads and sequins.

“What it is I do, there is no other place in the world, that I can do what I do other than in New Orleans, and I’m clear about my mission. I’m a part of New Orleans. I’m a part of the fiber of New Orleans and I’m here for the long haul, regardless.”

Darryl Montana is a craft artist who is intimately tied to a rich cultural tradition found in the unique environment of New Orleans. As Chief Darryl J. Montana, he comes from a family and a community intimately involved in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition.

As impressive as Darryl Montana's costumes are in their artistry, it is when he dons one that they truly come to life. “When a suit is on display, it’s like it’s entombed … It’s waiting to come back to life, and when you put it on, you have to play that suit, you have to bring the suit to life,” says Montana. The suit does indeed become one with Montana when he becomes Big Chief of the Yellow Pocahontas, and fellow members gather at his home to sing the traditional "Indian Red" song on the morning of Mardi Gras. At that point, not only does Darryl's artistry find its zenith, he is at one with the community and heritage that he loves.