Rest In Peace

Where can I find information about Jazz Funerals?

Or can someone tell me a little bit about it? I'm actually doing research on Creole and Cajun funeral rituals/customs, but it's been slow going because there's not much mentioned on the web about it. I'd really like to know how much it has changed, people's reactions, and other customs they like to do-- for example, I heard that people typically shouldn't wear jewelry for six months as a form of mourning. Thank you!

Public Comments

1. These links should help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_funeral http://www.funerals-and-flowers.com/jazz-funeral.html Jazz funerals are actually not common in New Orleans. Most of them for the past several decades have been for musicians, and happen in their neighborhoods. Sometimes a politician will get a jazz funeral, and it may travel through downtown & the French Quarter - but those are very rare. Occasionally, people killed in drug-related violence get a "jazz funeral", though it's usually rap/hip hop type music and not Jazz - with the procession through their neighborhood (often public housing). T-shirts bearing an image of the deceased have become common, especially if the drug gang pays for them. I worked in the French Quarter for several years and would often be asked by tourists "When is the next jazz funeral scheduled?". They were sincere and thought jazz funerals were A) Frequent/daily and B) Always traveled through the French Quarter. Neither was true. There is a tradition of living & dressing quietly for a year after the death of a spouse, but I have never heard of a tradition of not wearing jewelry. Maybe in Acadiana.