Behind the bearers, the black mourning wearers…. The funeral parade as a symbol of regeneration

Abstract

This paper contends that the funeral procession has, throughout its history, been a way of theatrically representing the structure and the core values of the society in which it takes place. The funeral procession articulates two contradictory themes: the tragedy of death and the ability of the social group to transcend it. Funeral processions are thus a way of reinvigorating the bereaved community, celebrating shared values and reaffirming communal pride, even when participants focus on their bereavement and describe the event as “a sad obligation”. The paper considers three very different funerals to demonstrate how the pageantry of a funeral parade (re)naturalises some of the tenets of social life which death has challenged. It also suggests that functionalist explanations of funerary behaviour might be combined with Barthes’ theory of visual symbolism in order to explain the emotional response that funeral processions can still evoke, even in those not personally bereaved. The paper concludes by reflecting on the future of the funeral parade and the possibility that a different constellation of visual symbols may be drawn into service to reaffirm both the poignancy of loss and the resilience of the bereaved community