Читать книгу Spirits of New Orleans - Kala Ambrose - Страница 9

CHAPTER 1

The Grande Dame City of the Dead—St. Louis Cemetery #1

“The first thing you notice about New Orleans are the burying grounds—the cemeteries—and they’re a cold proposition, one of the best things there are here. Going by, you try to be as quiet as possible, better to let them sleep. Greek, Roman, sepulchres—palatial mausoleums made to order, phantomesque, signs and symbols of hidden decay—ghosts of women and men who have sinned and who’ve died and are now living in tombs. The past doesn’t pass away so quickly here. You could be dead for a long time.”

—Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One

OF ALL OF THE CITIES IN THE WORLD to be buried, New Orleans is always my first choice.

The art of dying has been refined to an art form in NOLA. The legendary jazz funerals are the most distinguished, eloquent, and touching rituals juxtaposed against modern-day living as a fitting send-off to the spirit world. Based on a combination of African and European traditions, a jazz funeral begins with a processional march of the deceased’s family, friends, and a brass band, which leads the way from the funeral home to the cemetery.

As the music attracts the attention of passersby and neighbors, people recognize what is occurring and often join the group in the march in what is described as the second line. The first line is the official group that received a parade permit or, in this case, a permit for the funeral march. The second line is comprised of people who hear the call and lure of the music and spontaneously join in to participate in the celebration or to be a part of the final send-off for the deceased. Second-line participants often carry colorful parasols and wave handkerchiefs in the air while dancing down the street. The dances are organic, free, and a celebrated art form.

Pathway through St. Louis Cemetery #1

The music is somber on the journey to the cemetery, portraying the grief and loss experienced by those left behind. Once the deceased has been laid to rest, the procession marches on to the place designated for everyone to gather together. Along this march, the music picks up in tempo and becomes lively, both as a celebration of the life of the person laid to rest and to symbolize that life goes on. Most people begin to dance with abandon, and the emotional release is powerful and palatable and spreads throughout the group in the streets. Some of the most recognized songs played are “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” It is one of the most stirring, intimate, loving, joyful, and heartfelt experiences one can observe, and I can think of no finer way to be laid to rest.

ENTER THE CITIES OF THE DEAD

Once the deceased has been carried soulfully through the procession, they are laid to rest in cemeteries, which, in New Orleans, are described as the cities of the dead.

St. Louis Cemetery #1, founded in 1789, is one of the most famous cemeteries in the country. Located on the corner of St. Louis and Basin Streets about a block away from the French Quarter, the cemetery is so distinctive that it’s nearly impossible to miss. The reason is that in New Orleans, the cemeteries are filled with so many aboveground tombs that they look like small cities rather than the expansive lawns with small stones and crosses that people are more familiar with in other parts of the country. The cemeteries—with their tiny buildings located so close together—look like a miniature-sized city, which has earned them the nickname the cities of the dead.

There are actually three St. Louis Cemeteries in New Orleans, named respectively #1, #2, and #3, but St. Louis Cemetery #1 is the one that receives the greatest attention. St. Louis Cemetery #2 is several blocks away from #1 and is much larger in size—roughly three square blocks compared to the one-block size of #1. St. Louis Cemetery #2 is the final resting place of many talented and legendary jazz and rhythm and blues musicians, including one of my favorites, Ernie K. Doe. It is also the resting place of Henriette Delille, the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family, who is currently being considered for sainthood by the Catholic church. Farthest away from the French Quarter is St. Louis Cemetery #3, located near Bayou St. John, which has some of the most beautiful and elaborate tombs of all.

Many people who visit New Orleans are surprised to discover that the crescent-shaped city is actually below sea level, which is what led to aboveground burials in tombs. One of the most interesting places to view this anomaly is near Café du Monde across from Jackson Square, where you can walk up a flight of steps on the levee to see the Mississippi River above the area. There’s something very eerie the first time you do this, as you have the feeling of standing on the edge of a very full bowl of water and realizing that, with one big splash, the water could come spilling over. Indeed this is what occurred when the levees failed in the lower Ninth Ward, causing the area to flood after Hurricane Katrina.

Interestingly, though, when sitting at Café du Monde enjoying some beignets (fried doughnuts covered in mounds of powdered sugar) and French coffee while listening to musicians performing live on the streets, the slightly disturbing situation of the water looming above nearby escapes your thoughts, and you find yourself swirling back into the energy and falling in love with New Orleans.

Be that as it may, New Orleans is still under sea level and slowly descending further at a rate of a quarter inch each year. Built on swampy wet grounds, early settlers soon discovered that it was impossible to bury the dead underground, for as soon as a good rain came through, the buried caskets would float up to the top and sometimes even shoot out of the ground, to the shock and unsettling grief of family and friends. Even more gruesome, over time some of the wooden caskets would break apart underground, which allowed decaying body parts and bones to float up to the surface and down the streets as they were carried away by the water. Several attempts were made over the years to find a way to keep the caskets underground—including boring holes in the bottom of the caskets so that the water could enter the casket and flow through the holes into the ground—along with attempts to weigh the caskets down to make them heavier. However, neither idea worked, and the dead continued to rise when floodwaters and heavy rains came through. It was as if the dead wanted to be considered and not forgotten as a part of New Orleans, even long after they had left their mortal coil.

After several particularly heavy storms where the dead floated down the streets, the decision was made to establish a system of vaults and aboveground tombs where the dead would be laid to rest in peace. While many attribute flooding as the only reason that the wall vaults and tombs were built, some historians and scholars believe that this was only part of the decision for this design. As New Orleans grew as a city with a wealthier population, many of the settlers from France and Spain desired to offer tribute to their dead in the customs from their countries, which included burying them in the European style of aboveground vaults and tombs of this design.

St. Louis Cemetery #1 covers the expanse of only one city block, yet thousands of people are buried in this cemetery. If you do the math, you’ll see that no matter how close the tombs are, it would be very difficult to have this many people buried here on this land without the aboveground tombs reaching skyscraper status in height—which they do not. How then are so many people buried in such a small area? The answer lies within each tomb. Tombs, unlike gravesites, are designed to hold multiple people rather than one individual. Most of the tombs at St. Louis were created to house generations of a family. In other cases, what are known as society tombs were built and designed by members of a group, which established a designated number of wall vaults where members are buried together, and the membership continues to maintain and care for the tomb in perpetuity. Some of these society tombs are among the most striking and distinctive in the cemeteries. My favorite style is the sarcophagus tombs, which have a front entrance area and tend to be surrounded by wrought iron gates, giving the impression of a grand home. The simplest design found in these cemeteries are the step vaults, which are blocks of stone not much larger than the size of a casket that are raised above ground in a rectangular shape. Step vaults have largely fallen out of favor, as they tend to break apart and do not hold up well against the elements. In addition, they allow for only one person to be buried in this manner, versus the other vaults and tombs, which allow for multiple generations.

Marie Laveau’s tomb marked with x’s

With the idea in mind that generations of family or friends would be buried in these tombs, the dead were buried in wood coffins that would biodegrade over time. When space was needed in the tomb to bury the next person assigned to a specific vault, the tomb would be opened and the remains inside would be pushed to the back of the vault to accommodate the new resident. The only restriction was that the vault could only be opened after one year and one day from the prior burial. This congenial burial atmosphere was a common practice in Europe and provided an established area in one central location for families or groups to visit the burial sites of their loved ones.

Over the years, this led to thousands of people—including some of the city’s most famous politicians, musicians, military heroes, and wealthy entrepreneurs—being buried in this one-block location. This cemetery is also thought to be the home of the most famous Voodoo practitioner in the world, Marie Laveau. Marie is reportedly buried in the Glapion family tomb, tomb #347, though some researchers disagree on this fact and believe that she is buried in St. Louis Cemetery #2. Most historians consider this to be a misunderstanding, due to another Voodoo practitioner named Marie Comtesse, who is buried in #2. The overwhelming majority of the people in the city agree that Marie Laveau is indeed buried in St. Louis Cemetery #1.

Marie Laveau, the original Voodoo queen, lived from 1794 to 1881, though her dates are often confused due to her daughter having the same name (Marie Laveau II), who continued her mother’s work and legacy until her death in 1895. Marie’s legacy remains so strong as the queen of Voodoo that, more than 130 years later, her tomb is the most-visited tomb in all of the cemeteries. The tomb is easily recognizable when walking through the cemetery as it is covered with x’s. Though it is illegal to desecrate a tomb by writing on it in any way, hundreds of followers and fans visit her tomb every year and mark an x or three x’s on the tomb, while asking for Marie to grant their wishes. They also bring gifts and offerings to the tomb and lay them on the ground nearby.

During my visits to St. Louis Cemetery #1 and Marie’s tomb, I found cosmetics, dolls, coins, flowers, food, alcohol, tobacco, costume jewelry, and candles placed in front of her tomb. It is customary to bring a gift to the spirits when asking for a favor, and each person who visits with a request brings something of this nature to leave behind. The legend states that to have Marie and the spirits grant your wish, you must stand at the tomb and knock three times to gain the attention of the spirit world. Once you have knocked, whisper your wish into the tomb and then draw three x’s on the tomb.

Offerings left at Marie Laveau’s tomb include cosmetics, flowers, and hair adornments.

While this sounds very precise and highly romantic, Voodoo practitioners will tell you that it is not the proper technique to use when asking for a favor from the spirits. In many ways, it is considered disrespectful, as well as the constant scraping on the walls being destructive to the tomb. It’s hard to believe that Marie would want such a thing done to her tomb. She was known to be extremely generous and caring to the people of New Orleans. With this in mind, a simple request to her from the heart should be heard just as effectively in the spirit realms.

Should you visit the tomb one day and desire that your wish be heard, quietly stand near the tomb, offer your respects and gratitude, and whisper your wish into the wind, which will carry your message through the ethers. Should you desire a more distinctive and powerful Voodoo ceremony, there are Voodoo practitioners throughout New Orleans who are more than able to assist you with the ceremony or ritual that you are looking to create. If you were to observe any Voodoo practices going on in the cemetery, though, you would not find them here at Marie’s tomb. Instead you might observe the gathering of redbrick dust, which is used for protecting homes. Louie Armstrong is one of the most famous people known to have gathered this brick dust when he was a boy to make money. He would enter the cemetery and scrape the crumbling red bricks into dust and then deliver the brick dust to practitioners so they could disperse it as needed to their customers.

While ghost stories abound in every square block of this city, an enormous amount of stories regard sightings of the ghost of Marie Laveau in the cemetery and on the streets. Most people whom I chatted with about Marie spoke of feeling her presence in St. Louis Cemetery #1 as a spiritual energy, similar to standing near a holy site or sacred ground. During my visit to St. Louis Cemetery #1, I felt the energy of several ghosts, but none of them materialized in full form. I also heard the sound of a small child weeping, which was very sorrowful.

The only time I saw a ghostly form in this location was outside the entrance to the cemetery shortly before sunset. I saw an elderly man wearing a hat and suit, standing quietly and looking as if he was thinking about going through the entrance. At first, his suit was so dark in color that I thought he really was a man standing there, but after a moment the color from his suit faded and then so did the rest of him. It appeared as if he was still unsure why he was at the cemetery and what he was doing there. This is often the case with many ghosts who stay near cemeteries, as they are still trying to figure out and comprehend that they have passed on.

There are many tales of ghostly activity from St. Louis Cemetery #2 where Marie Laveau II (the daughter) is reportedly buried in Square Three inside of a wall vault. While her mother appears to be resting in peace in the spirit world, some say that her daughter is not as settled and can be seen on moonlit nights walking through St. Louis Cemetery #2.

While this may be the case, St. Louis Cemetery #3 would be my choice of cemeteries to spend a night looking for paranormal activity. It has all the makings to be one of the most-haunted cemeteries in the area. Built on Esplanade Avenue, this area was used by Native Americans for thousands of years before the city of New Orleans was formed. In the 18th century, it was designated as a containment area, where people with leprosy were banished to live, which sadly then became a burial ground for the lepers. St. Louis Cemetery #3 was later built on top of where the lepers were buried.

The cemetery is located near Bayou St. John, which connects to Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico, forming a strong link to the mystical waters surrounding this area. Bayou St. John is the location where Marie Laveau and other practitioners performed some of the most potent and powerful Voodoo rituals, and thousands came to observe these rituals in action (many of which are still being practiced here to this day). Visitors longing to see something of this nature should check out St. John’s Day, also known as Midsummer in New Orleans, where thousands congregate to perform sacred rituals along St. John’s Bayou.

The spirits residing in St. Louis Cemetery #3 are in a magnificent real estate location near the bayou and City Park, with a front stage pass each year to the Jazz and Heritage Festival (which locals refer to as Jazz Fest). Forget about the dead turning in their graves—in New Orleans, they’re more apt to rise and dance the second line! Perhaps this is why this cemetery is still one of the most popular and active cemeteries with hundreds of new burials each year.

From what I’ve observed in my years as a psychic medium and as a paranormal researcher, most ghosts don’t hang out in the cemeteries. They are out haunting the places that they enjoyed “haunting” while they were alive. I find New Orleans to be no different in this respect. Most of the ghosts are enjoying the city alongside the living.

This brings us to the purpose of this book: to explore the supernatural beings that reside throughout the city of New Orleans. A great majority of them choose to stay in the Vieux Carre, also known as the French Quarter.

As your travel guide to the other side, I’d like to offer a few tips when visiting St. Louis Cemetery #1, along with any of the other cemeteries in the area.

KALA’S TRAVEL TIPS

 Safety first. It’s best to visit the cemetery with a tour group during the day. While I find the cemetery itself very peaceful and enjoyable, there are reports of people being attacked and robbed by the living. It’s easy for a person to hide among the tombs and catch someone who is there alone off guard. You don’t want to end up being the newest resident of the cemetery, so be safe and travel with a tour group, as there is safety in numbers. It’s also easier to get turned around and feel lost in the city of the dead. In addition, the tour groups provide an enormous amount of historical and entertaining information about the tombs. The cemetery is only open during the day, but some paranormal researchers try to hang out around the area during the evening to see what they can pick up for EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) and via their cameras. This is not a good idea, as it leaves you open as a target with some heavy and expensive equipment on display.

 Besides visiting Marie Laveau’s tomb, make sure to visit one of the most distinctive tombs here, a tomb shaped like a pyramid built by actor Nicholas Cage.

 All Saints Day, a Catholic celebration held November 1, is a day where some people visit the tombs to give their respects to their ancestors. This day is also known as the ancient Celtic New Year. If visiting on this day, have respect for the locals who are here to visit family members who are near and dear to them. No matter what day you are visiting, also remember to be respectful for the people who are buried here and laid to rest. I’ve seen some people who visit and treat the cemetery like it was a tourist site, leaving trash behind and making crude and vulgar jokes. This is a cemetery that is open to the public, and the people buried here all have family who would want them to be treated respectfully and reverently at all times. Consider, as you walk through each path, how you would feel if someone was walking by the gravesites of your loved ones.

 Save Our Cemeteries is a nonprofit group in New Orleans who works to preserve these cities of the dead, which are national treasures in both historic and architectural value. If you feel so inspired after visiting the cemetery, consider making a donation to its cause to continue the preservation work. One of the projects it is working on, which I find very exciting, is to restore the tombs to their original Creole colors, rather than the whitewashed versions you see today. Can you imagine how colorful this would look to see the tombs in their traditional shades of lavender, green, and beige in the city of the dead?

 Bring your camera. The architecture is so stunning that you’ll find yourself wanting to take photos at every turn.

 Make sure to leave before the cemetery closes, typically at 3 p.m. Otherwise, you could be locked inside. While the ghosts appear to be polite, legends abound regarding disturbed tombs in the area, which some claim to be frequented by vampires.

 The greater New Orleans area has more than 40 cemeteries, most of which are worth a visit. For the sake of this book, I was only able to briefly cover some of the cemeteries in order to write about all the other activities in the city. To truly do them the justice, the cemeteries would require an entire book dedicated to covering them all.

 Redbrick dust was gathered from bricks in the cemetery that had crumbled over time. The crumbling bricks were rubbed and the resulting dust was gathered in bags. Voodoo practitioners spread this dust in a straight line in front of a home that needed protection.

 Visiting cemeteries can deplete your auric energy, especially if you are an intuitive, medium, or empathic in nature, as you will be sensitive to the grieving energy stored in these locations. When you visit, whether to enjoy the architecture or to see if the spirits are willing to communicate, remember afterward to “shake off” the energy. This is best done by stamping your feet outside the entrance to shake off any of the dirt that may have stuck to your shoes. Next have something sweet to eat to ground your body; chocolate or fruit works best. When you return back to your hotel, take a shower and visualize the water washing away the energy of the day and removing any residual energy that may have attached to you. Then surround your body with pure white light and see your body refreshed and energized. This should restore your energy and prepare you for a night out in NOLA.