Who Dat Nation

Lore & Background

Before the modern era of consistent success, the Saints endured decades of struggle following their expansion entry in 1967. During this time, the fanbase remained steadfast, grounding themselves in local traditions rather than immediate glory. The chant that defines them emerged from New Orleans music culture, eventually finding its home within the stadium walls during playoff pushes. The cultural significance deepened after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. While the city faced unprecedented devastation and uncertainty about the team's future, the Who Dat Nation rallied to bring football back to the Superdome. Their return symbolized a broader recovery for New Orleans, cementing the bond between the franchise and its supporters as one of survival. This legacy culminated in the 2009 season when the Saints secured their first Super Bowl title. The victory was not just a sports achievement but a validation of decades of loyalty. Today, the Nation remains a symbol of community strength, where every game is treated with the gravity of a historic occasion.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the dome hummed with electricity before kickoff. Families draped in black and gold waved flags near the end zone, their voices already rising in unison. A brass band played from the concourse, blending jazz notes with the roar of twenty thousand people. As the quarterback stepped onto the gridiron, the chant began low, a rhythmic pulse that grew into a thunderous declaration. It was more than noise; it was a promise kept to the city.

Reader's Guide

The Who Dat Nation is more than just spectators; it is a community bound by resilience and rhythm. Rooted in New Orleans unique cultural tapestry, support for the Saints often mirrors the city own spirit of endurance. Fans gather not merely to watch American football, but to celebrate survival, particularly following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The tailgates transform into second lines, complete with brass bands and colorful umbrellas that sway to jazz rhythms before kickoff. Inside the Superdome, the atmosphere is electric. Black and gold dominate the stands, creating a sea of loyalty that intimidates visiting teams. The signature chant serves as a unifying prayer, echoing through the concrete bowl whenever the defense holds strong or the offense scores. This tradition transcends generations, passed from parents to children, ensuring the voice of the city remains loud on every gridiron Sunday. It is a culture where faith and football intertwine seamlessly. Whether in victory or defeat, the Nation stands together, embodying the mantra that no matter how tough the season gets, the Saints will rise again. This enduring bond makes the fanbase one of the most recognizable and passionate groups in professional sports history today.

Did You Know?

• The 'Who Dat' chant originated from a local New Orleans band before becoming the team anthem.
• Saints fans are known for maintaining support through decades of losing seasons prior to their first Super Bowl win.
• The fanbase played a crucial role in bringing professional football back to the city after Hurricane Katrina.
• Black and gold colors are worn year-round, not just during the NFL season.

Cultural Roots and Vaudeville Origins

The phrase "Who dat?" serves as an alternative pronunciation for "who's that?" with deep historical roots extending far beyond modern sports. During this era, it was a staple of jazz and big band performances, often featured in poetry by Paul Laurence Dunbar and songs like "Who Dat Say Chicken in Dis Crowd." The routine frequently involved frightened characters encountering ghosts or comedians engaging in call-and-response gags, popularized by performers like Mantan Moreland. Even animated cartoons from the 1930s, such as those featuring Bosko or caricaturing Fats Waller, utilized the phrase to depict swamp-dwelling frogs performing jazz tunes. By World War II, the joke had permeated military culture, where fighter pilots flying under radio silence would break the monotony of their cockpits by exchanging the familiar "Who dat?" and "Who dat say who dat?" banter over static-filled radios before commanders ordered them to cease.

Evolution into a Regional Sports Chant

While the phrase existed in entertainment for decades, its transformation into a specific sports cheer occurred gradually across the American South during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Theories regarding its exact sporting origin vary, with claims pointing to Southern University Jaguars fans or St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. However, significant evidence suggests the chant gained traction in the Acadiana region, where Cajun English speakers often substitute "th" sounds with "d." By 1979, high schools like Patterson and Peabody Magnet were already utilizing variations of the cheer to rally support for their teams against rivals. The phrase also appeared at Alcorn State University and Jackson's Murrah High School, where it was printed on placards as a traditional basketball chant. Furthermore, professional wrestler Junkyard Dog, a local hero in New Orleans wrestling circuits between 1979 and 1984, adopted a similar rallying cry: "Who dat think they gonna beat that Dog." This widespread adoption across various high schools, colleges, and even professional wrestling events laid the groundwork for its eventual dominance in professional football.

Adoption by the New Orleans Saints

By 1983, the cheer had become so ubiquitous among local fans that the New Orleans Saints organization officially embraced it during the tenure of head coach Bum Phillips. The chant evolved into a specific, rhythmic question-and-answer format: "Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?" This version solidified its status as the primary expression of team support for the franchise within the National Football League. To further cement this cultural shift, local music icon Aaron Neville collaborated with musicians Sal and Steve Monistere and Carlo Nuccio to record a unique rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In." This recording incorporated the chant directly into the melody, blending traditional New Orleans brass band sounds with the emerging fan anthem. The term "Who dat" also transcended its function as a question, evolving into a noun used to describe any dedicated supporter of the team. This official adoption marked the transition of a regional dialectical joke and schoolyard cheer into a unifying identity for an entire city's professional sports following.

Linguistic Identity and Fan Culture

The enduring power of "Who dat" lies in its linguistic flexibility and its ability to define community identity. Originally a comedic tag line in minstrel skits where characters would ask "Who dat?" only to be answered by "Who dat say who dat?", the phrase was repurposed into a defiant declaration of loyalty. In the context of the Saints, it functions as both an interrogative challenge to opponents and a noun designating the fans themselves. The dialectical shift from standard English "who's that" to the vernacular "who dat" reflects the unique cultural tapestry of New Orleans, influenced by Cajun speech patterns and African American Vernacular English traditions found in jazz history. This linguistic adaptation allows the chant to serve as a barrier between insiders and outsiders; knowing how to properly respond to the call is a rite of passage for true fans. The phrase effectively bridges the gap between historical entertainment forms, such as vaudeville and swing era band interactions, and modern stadium culture, creating a continuous thread of local expression that resonates with every generation of supporters.