What are wards?

Question

In Louisianna, they call places there wards like 9th wards and parishes for counties. But I don't know what wards are. And also, in Louisiana during Parades and other stuff, why do some of the actors paint their faces black and around their mouths its white. Why is that?

Answer 1

Wards are districts. Just a way of signifying parts of the city. The 9th ward was the only one in New Orleans that I remember being called by it's ward # and not having it's own name (I lived in the Garden District).
I think that you are thinking of the Zulu parade. They paint their faces black because it is a traditional black parade. They also hand out (toy) spears, but nobody screams racism.

Answer 2

Ward

Name of a geographic area whose inhabitants are assigned to attend a specific building at a specific time. A very small ward is called a branch. Several wards and branches make up a stake. A bishop is put in charge of a ward.

Also Known As: Local community

Examples: The bishop of the ward was speaking to the congregation.

Answer 3

"Ward" as ised as a term for "district" is dicussed pretty thoroughly here: http://www.answers.com/topic/ward-1


Regarding the face paint, here is section of a longer article:

In New Orleans in the early 1900s, a group of African American laborers began a marching club in the annual Mardi Gras parade, dressed as hobos and calling themselves "The Tramps". Wanting a flashier look, they later renamed themselves "Zulus" and copied their costumes from a blackface vaudeville skit performed at a local black jazz club and cabaret.[10] The result is one of the best known and most striking krewes of Mardi Gras, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Dressed in grass skirts, top hats and exaggerated blackface, the Zulus of New Orleans are controversial as well as popular.
Illinois Congressman

This is called "blackface" painting and a longer article is here:http://www.answers.com/topic/blackface