Q: What can you learn from a funeral service? What do you observe about the metaphors, the symbols, the language, the response? Why all the fuss, the ceremony? Perhaps you could ask your parents or grandparents what they remember about some of these deaths and funerals.
Dr. King's funeral 1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU1634eB6uk
Background -- last few days before MLK was killed, including excerpt from his "I've been to the mountaintop" sermon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohYgjwa71lg
Bobby Kennedy's funeral 1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_3U4J3YrS4
John F. Kennedy's funeral 1963
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KJQkn6zUvM
Background - the day JFK died
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as-505KOXmc
Winston Churchill's funeral
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC1WEdgXKEI
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's funeral 1995
mostly footage is of President Clinton's remarks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQvIr8nKVnU
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah funeral 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQvIr8nKVnU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4e8OX-xLBI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfnCLpBTwXg
More about the successor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3pG-6sSKnI
Princess Diana's funeral 1997
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86MQSbZo28Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezuIDtL6ydg
Holocaust Remembrance in Israel 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1h8ZPCpVHw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKVk7kyU4qA
Funeral Of Kemel Ataturk of Turkey (1938)
British newsreel footagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZxD3pYh77I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Jcprl4lnY
newsreel footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KDQhLQUj5w
I have personally never seen a national or big funeral in my lifetime, in person or on T.V. or anything. I chose to watch the video of princess Diana's funeral and of Martin Luther King. These people have both interested me in my lifetime, I have always been interested in the civil rights movement along with Martin Luther Kings work. I also have always been interested in princess Diana, I received a doll of her when I was younger and have always been interested ever since. I think both of these people are amazing individuals and they both passed to soon. You can learn a lot about a person and the culture a person lives in from their funeral service. Princess Diana's funeral was very ceremonial and religious. I thought it was beautiful how they walked through the church and people were all standing and singing, and it was along hall way to walk down. There wasn't necessarily a lot of people in the church but millions of people outside which really shows the support of the people and the impact she had. That must be nice to see for the family. There also was a moment of silence with bells going the entire time no talking just silence. Martin Luther Kings funeral was also beautiful with many people, however his was less ceremonial there were speeches given and it was a moving funeral just as his speeches were. The cultures are a bit different in how the funerals went. The response for both was insane Princess Diana seemed to have millions of people outside of the church clapping as they drove her away and Martin Luther King had millions of people upset and rioting after his death. The ceremony is where people get to say goodbye and get to grief which makes it a big fuss. I believe that their funerals are just bigger then the average persons because they have had such an impact on such a large amount of people, I don't believe that their funeral is necessarily more important then just someone who wasn't in the public light, it just gets more publicity. I thought it was moving to see the public reaction and how much these people actually meant to the world. On a side note my mom was alive during the death of Martin Luther King she was only a few months old however, but she still has a good story. The night of his death my mom was in the hospital she had stopped breathing during the night in her crib and she had to get a tracheotomy done. My grandparents were notified about what had happen while at the hospital and were told to stay put because the riots were so bad in downtown Cincinnati (she was at Children's). When my grandpa had to leave for work he had to be escorted by police home, because they were so bad just because he was white. That just shows the impact of what was going on at the time and how badly a change needed to be made. It also shows the impact Martin Luther King had on this movement. Funerals are important for people to be able to say goodbye the last time, and I think that's huge to have.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a big/national funeral before. I decided to watch Princess Diana's funeral service because I though it would be interesting to see her funeral due to the fact that she is from a royal family. Princess Diana's funeral was very religious. I thought it was interesting how the service in the church was sort of private inside, decorated with so many flowers and all the singing, and then when they showed Princess Diana's body in the hearse you could see so many people outside just to show respect and support of Princess Diana.This funeral was very historical for England and had an profound impact in other countries as well because she was such a prominent figure. Princess Diana was well known for her charitable ways and was so popular because she was beautiful and classy. You can learn from a funeral service what kind of life a person lived, the type of faith a person had, and the things they were most passionate about in life. Funerals show respect to the deceased and it also helps you celebrate and remember their life. Funerals give loved ones and friends the opportunity to express their love for the deceased and also serves as a way to say goodbye. Funerals also make us face the reality that death is a real thing and that it does happen, it is hard to accept our loved ones are no longer with us but I think the actual funeral service makes the death a reality. I think funerals are a way to celebrate the life someone lived and to remember them. Typically people wear black to funerals out of respect and there are many flowers in the ceremony, this symbolizes love for a person. Usually a eulogy is given by someone who was close to the deceased to describe in depth the type of person they were. As human beings we gain closure through the participation of the funeral ritual.
ReplyDeleteMy first pick is about Princess Diana. Scary thought, I remember when the accident actually happened. This is one of the funerals I watched as an adolescent kid on t.v. of course. Once the accident of Princess Diana's death was announced I remember every channel had media coverage about it. Watching the video on Princess Diana is very passionate. She was a role model for her country. I notice in the videos the amount of people who attended her funeral, if not in person they were watching on television.
ReplyDeleteThe second video I watched was about the president John F. Kennedy. The funeral held for JFK was very emotional for everyone. His presidential status was the fuel for this three days funeral process. This process allowed the public to pay their respects to him and his family. I think it is awesome to see a funeral so elaborate and well planned, unfortunately at the cost of a President.
What have I learned about funerals? I have learned that funerals help families cope with the loss of their loved one as well as a sign of being respectful. Giving family time to realize and understand what is happening is part of the acknowledging of death. Funerals show care of the person and pay special tribute to their life. Funerals helps the family acknowledge that they have to lay them to rest and help prepare the families by celebrating what their loved one has accomplished in life. When I attend funerals I reminisce of the past. Memories and stories flourish my mind. When I am at a funeral I usually observe high emotions including crying, hugging, and talking quiet. I have only attended a catholic funeral, so I have no experience with other religions. Most catholic funerals that I have observed include a layout, mass, and a burial. Theses rituals give the family a chance to pay their respects to the person and the family and unite the community to support the loss of the family member. I feel that the burial is chance for the family to say their final goodbye and start the grieving process.
I completely agree with you, talking about some funerals being more broadcast and if that makes them more important than others. I also believe that some funerals being more broadcast, isn't saying they are more important but just is a symbol or just happens to affect more people. For example, when a president dies it effects everyone, because it threatens are nations stability and safety. We have to come together as a nation and be there to show everyone we care. Then with other funerals that may not effect the whole nation, but they are not any less important to those that it does affect. I just think that is a really good point you brought up and I completely agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI decided to watch the funeral service of Princess Diana. Princess Diana's funeral was very moving to watch. The funeral inside the church was very religious and it was attended by her closest family etc. Once she was carried outside the streets were filled with people showing their respect to the Princess. It truly showed the impact that Princess Diana had on the world with everyone watching her service and clapping as she went by in the funeral procession. You can learn a lot from a funeral service. Funeral services show what kind of person someone was and the life that they lived. Funerals give people the opportunity to say their last goodbyes to someone and show that person respect. They are also a way that families and friends deal with the loss of a loved one. But funerals are also a way to celebrate someone's life and appreciate the life that they once lived and to cherish the memories of that person. Some observations about funerals that I've made are that there is typically a mass held and a visitation. Both of these are a way to grieve for the person who has passed but also to be able to celebrate their life that they lived.
ReplyDeleteI watched the Holocaust remembrance moment of Silence in Israel. What an incredible act and for everyone to take two minutes out of their day to pay their respects. I tried to think if our Nation did something like this. I immediately think of 9/11 when it comes to thinking about a day to remember and pay respects. I also think of Veterans Day. However, going to the extent dropping everything for two minutes to acknowledge the victims is something I've never done. Something I can remember stopping and doing everyday, consistently would be saying the Pledge of Allegiance in grade school. We did it because everyone else did and we were taught that way. That doesn't happen anymore. Who knows? would we if we didn't have to? This is just a routine. We took one minute out of our day to remember the great country we live in.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, We don't go to the extent at all when it comes to remembering important days in our past. I think it is pretty amazing that Everyone in the country of Israel observes the day of remembrance. The only thing I can think of when I've taken time out of my day to pay respects or remember is when saying the Pledge of Allegiance in grade school.
ReplyDeleteYou can learn just how strong a family is from a funeral service and sometimes how good and compassionate a person was by how many people show up. You'll see the immediate family in the front comforting one another and the other family usually right behind. When thinking of the death of a loved one you try to think of the positives and believe that person is in a better place. I can remember the priest mentioning many metaphors of getting new life out of death at my grandfather's funeral.
ReplyDeleteI personally have never watched or seen a big/national funeral before. I decided to watch Princess Diana's funeral service. She was a very respected figure in this world and was apart of the royal family. The funeral service was very big and included a lot of people. There were many people that were crying and all were wearing black. It truly shows the impact Princess Diana had on the lives' of many. I thought the funeral was respectful and religious. Princess Diana was a classy women and will forever be remembered. I can learn about the funeral service that it is for the family. It allows the family to say their peace and to respect what has been done. A funeral services make us realize that death is reality and helps us move on. There are usually a lot of flowers and people wear black as a sign of death.
ReplyDeleteI also watched Princess Diana's funeral and agree with you Elise. It was very respectful and religious and had a very traditional feel to it. I thought it was very interesting how many people attended.
DeleteThe only big/national funeral that I can remember watching when I was really young was the funeral of former president, Ronald Reagan. I remember at the time of his death I was a 5th grade student who had just done a report on him. I was amazed at what all he was able to accomplish both as a civilian and as president. He was a man of many colors and came from a blue-collar family in Texas, which I think makes him a self-made man. The amount of people at his funeral was astonishing! On the surface, as president, people knew about everything Reagan did as far as national defense and our economy but what people may not have known was that he was also a farmer, an actor, a business owner, and a senator as well. His leadership is something that will be remembered forever for it was outlined greatly during his funeral. During someone's funeral you really see what their true colors were, and it is an amazing discovery when you finally see them!
ReplyDeleteI feel like you can learn a lot about the person through their funeral service. You see pictures and their loved ones share their fondest memories of that person. You always see the good in them and not the negative. The symbolism of a funeral is very somber to me. It is representative of respect for the person. I believe the reason for such a big ordeal is because it is the last time you will see that person and it is a great way to celebrate their life and meaning to their family.
ReplyDeleteI have never personally seen or watched any funerals before, so watching these videos was pretty interesting for me. I picked Princess Diana’s funeral to watch because she is a figure of interest for me. Her funeral was very religious, ceremonial and traditional. The amount of people shown that attended her funeral I thought was very amazing. I thought it was very neat how they had the casket brought through the streets of Britain to the church by horse and carriage. I feel like this gave the public a chance to be part of the funeral and morn themselves, and having the actual ceremony for family and those closer to her. The moment of silence during the funeral was very neat. I liked how the videos showed the people’s reactions to her and her death, I thought that was very interesting to see the impact her death had on the public. I think this is the reason the funeral was made such a big deal, because she was a major public figure and they needed to be a part of it all too. You can learn a lot about a person and their culture through how they are celebrated and remembered in their death. I thought this was very educational and moving to watch. Funerals provide a way for family and friends, or really anyone involved with the person, to be able to morn, remember, and put to rest their loved one in a way that celebrates their life. I think funerals play a big and crucial part in the grieving process.
ReplyDeleteI watched Princess Diana’s funeral. There were so many people at her funeral to honor her. People from all over England were outside to pay their respects. Everyone was crying and it really showed how she affected everyone in England. Her funeral was very traditional and religious. I thought it was so sad when I saw that one of her sons wrote a note and it was on her casket. I think that funerals can tell a lot about the person who died and what their beliefs were. Most of the funerals that I have been too were traditional but in each and every one you can tell something about the person. Funerals also give the family a chance to cope with their loss. It gives the family a chance to say goodbye to the person.
ReplyDeleteYou can learn a lot about a person from their funeral. You can see the impact that they had on their surrounding, including the people they encountered. You can learn in some cases that they were religious or that they weren't when they claimed to be. I watched Princess Diana's funeral and you can see the huge impact that she had on England as well as the rest of the world. There was great sadness that was felt by many in her sudden and tragic passing. I personally believe that the ceremonies are for the living. They allow for celebration of life, remembrance of the deceased, and a time for final goodbyes.
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