Thursday, June 30, 2011
Jazz Band (6/30/11)
I don't know how you guys feel about the New Orleans Jazz Band rituals we saw in class today, but I feel like dancing on a casket is a bit much. I am all about grieving in your own way and not being one to put my opinion out or say something is wrong, I just don't think that caskets should be danced on. I love the idea of making it a celebration and having a party going on in the street but I just feel like that is crossing some sort of line. I am by no means saying that it's wrong or that these people shouldn't be allowed to do it, just that I personally feel like it is going overboard a tad. Jus wondered how you guys felt about it.
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I was surprised when I saw that, too. I thought the celebration part of it was really interesting, though. I have never heard of this kind of funeral before so up until the point where they danced on the casket I was interested in it.
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ReplyDeleteIf a person specifically states the desire for people to dance on their casket, or those dancing on the casket understand that their dead loved one would wish for such merriment,then I see no trouble with the action. If those dancing on the casket that houses a dead person have never known the dead person and were merely dancing on the casket to be a part of a cultural experience, then I find the action to be on par with dancing over a dead person’s grave.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love the thought of my family and friends saying their good byes to me by dancing and singing on the casket that I lie dead within it. I would be happy if acquaintances danced on my casket with my family and friends, provided the person treated me kindly in life and were paying their respects in a way they knew I would like. The thought of my loved ones saying good bye to me in such a way that may leave them with a smile when they recall my burial is a wonderful thought to me.
I know that there was a man in the background drinking what looked like a beer. I thought it was interesting that a period of grieving could be such a party. I honestly was a bit thrown back by it, but hey, life's a garden, dig it. If the dead person wanted his funeral to be all the rage then so be it. It was also relatively comedic. This was a pretty hardcore way of saying goodbye.
ReplyDeleteI agree! It is a bit much. To me, it goes along with the saying "dancing on your grave," which implies that someone is happy you're dead - in a bad way! I can understand if the person asked for this type of celebration... It is his/her own choice. But it just seems almost disrespectful! I would want people to be happy at my funeral and celebrate my life, but I'm sure if I asked my family to dance on my casket, they might fall over dead themselves. To each their own, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Jazz Band funerals were appropriate. Dancing, singing, laughing, etc. only creates a positive atmosphere that will help family members cope with their loved ones death. Humor and enjoyment can bring back fond memories of the deceased and eliminate sad emotions. If I choose to be buried, I wouldn't mind my friends and family having a little fun and remembering the good times. Life is too short to grieve for the rest of our lives and creating a joyous atmosphere only helps the healing process.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Jazz Band funerals are a great way to honor their loved ones, but the dancing on the casket I think is a bit to much. I agree with you kyle, life is to short to stay grieving. My father recently died and a huge part of my family all met at his favorite park to have a picnic and spread his ashes. Everyone was joking around, laughing, playing games, and sharing memories of him, its what he would have wanted.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the jazz band funerals in the way that they are a celebration of life instead a sad time. I think the dancing on the casket was a bit much as well, but who am I to judge, maybe the deceased would have wanted that. I think funerals should be a more positve area as opposed to a dark time. I know at my grandmothers funeral we tried to keep everything positive although it was a hard time for the whole family. We played a song, called "My fathers house" at the end of the funeral, which is a song illustrating heaven in a way. We also talked about how "gram" would know be riding a motorcycle on streets mad of gold (she loved motorcycles when she was younger) Although it may be hard to be positive in the time of death, it is important to.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the Jazz Band funeral, I felt it was a great celebration of the persons life. The people I did think the dancing on the casket was a different approach to honoring the person inside, and I personally would not want someone to dance on mine, but everyone is entitled to their own requests and opinions at the time thier death.
ReplyDeleteIt was my first time I watched a jazz funeral; I never knew that it was a tradition in New Orleans. I think a jazz Funeral brings a positive take on death, it conveys the message that it is not a time to be sad but to rejoice. But I do think going as far as dancing on top of the casket was a little extreme. I would not mind having a jazz funeral to celebrate my life but just do it without the dancing on the casket. I guess I feel that no matter how the person lived there is a certain respect you have for a funeral.
ReplyDeleteKrystal A.