How to Jazz Up a Funeral: Creole and Cajun Funerals
From the classic beignets to the scrumptious étouffée, Creole and Cajun foods are so good you could die after one spoonful. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. However, if that were to happen in New Orleans you may find yourself having a Creole and/or Cajun funeral, aka a jazz funeral. Because face it, shipping a body across state lines or even to another city is expensive. And each state has different regulations regarding the preparation of bodies. In one instance, I was told that a body had to be embalmed in the state that the person died in order to be shipped to a different state (which makes sense) but then re-embalmed once in the destination state. I’d never heard of someone being embalmed twice, and quite frankly, it sounded like a money-making racket to me, which is why I now understand the decision of families to cremate instead of transferring their loved ones remains. But that’s an entirely different topic.
Jazz funerals are inspired by the combining the African funeral traditions of the Dahomeans of Benin and the Yoruba of Nigeria, West Africa. To assure that a proper burial would be performed at the funeral, the secret societies of the Dahomeans and Yoruba people gathered resources to form what many have labeled an early form of insurance. Jazz funerals are also heavily influenced by early twentieth century African American Protestant and Catholic churches, black brass bands, and the Haitian Voodoo idea of celebrating after death to please the spirits who protect the dead.
The music and dancing of the jazz funeral were intended to both help the deceased find their way to heaven and to celebrate the final release from the bounds of earthly life. The funeral begins with the first or mainline making “loud lamentations” while a jazz band is performing mournful jazz tunes. When the Saints Come Marching In, Nearer My God to Thee, and Just a Closer Walk with Thee. The first or mainline is composed of the family, musicians, funeral directors, and friends of the deceased, and they march with the coffin, which was often carried by a horse-drawn hearse, from the deceased’s home to the grave while the band performed a mournful When the Saints Come Marching In, Nearer My God to Thee, and Just a Closer Walk with Thee. The sad music will continue until the deceased is fully buried and when the main line is leaving the burial site.
After leaving the burial site, the jazz band will begin transitioning from the somber music to upbeat by adding a little swing to the songs. This was a way of alerting the mourners that the mood was about to change. Soon the band will perform upbeat and wild music with tambourines and drums as a form of celebration that the deceased is in a better place. At this point, a second line joins the main. The second line is composed of random individuals from the streets of New Orleans who just so happen to bypass the procession and wish to join the party. The second line will dance and sing behind the first line with the jazz band. The music and dancing were both a form of theory for the mourners and a form of celebration of a life well lived. The march will continue until they arrive at the location of their reception. And the conclusion of the funeral, a big ole pot of red beans and rice is served.
