Boundaries in Motion: Jazz Funeral Processions as Rituals of Collective Agency

Abstract

This paper examines the role of jazz funeral processions in New Orleans as a form of ritualized movement through both sacred and secular spaces. By analyzing the spatial and sequential elements of processions, the paper situates jazz funerals within the broader framework of Christian liturgical practices. It seeks to highlight and honor the unique evolution of these inculturated processions, considering the African and Caribbean roots from which it developed. Moving through both sacred and secular spaces, the jazz procession blurs these boundaries and claims new territories for collective memory and identity. By incorporating elements of Christian, African, and New Orleans traditions, these processions allow the community to reclaim sacred space in the public sphere and to reinforce religious and social agency.