In August of 2005, New Orleans was devastated by the category 5 storm known as Hurricane Katrina. Although the media and officials originally attributed the city’s destruction to the hurricane, it was not the hurricane its self but it was the failure of the federal levee system to withstand it that resulted in the flooding of the city. The consequences were catastrophic; 80% of the city was flooded with water up to 20 ft. in some areas.

The city’s then-Mayor, Ray Nagin, issued a mandatory evacuation only one day before the hurricane had struck. Although 80% of the population were fortunate enough to make it out in time however, the remaining 20% who were unable to evacuate were left to either take shelter at the Superdome or suffer the consequences from the outside. The worst part of the hurricane’s aftermath was the state and federal government’s failure to manage the situation. In Spike Lee’s documentary, “When the Levees Broke”, it is explained that the delayed response to the situation was due to petty politics between the state and federal government. Basically the state’s then-Governor, Kathleen Blanco, prolonged asking the federal government so that it wouldn’t appear like she didn’t have the situation under control. She tried to defend her own ego at the expense of thousands of people’s lives. A great amount of criticism is directed at FEMA for failing to respond to the disaster in a timely manner and then making matters even worse when they finally decided to show up. FEMA was responsible for stopping civilian and corporate trucks and planes that voluntarily came to transport people and deliver water and fuel to those stuck in shelters. They decided that operating “by the book” and denying assistance from “unauthorized” people was more important than saving lives. I found it totally jaw-dropping and infuriating that a government agency would do this to its own people. The incompetence of government agencies combined with the corruption and lack of leadership from government officials transformed what could have been a relatively non-destructive storm into a monumental catastrophe.

Although Katrina is now historicized as the deadliest and most costly storm in American history, the people of New Orleans have still found a way to carry on despite the tremendous impact it has left behind. I believe that the key to their perseverance is embedded within their history and expressed in their deep respect for the city and its culture.

One of the books I read during my project was “Why New Orleans Matters”, by Tom Piazza. In one section, he describes one of New Orleans’ oldest traditions known as a Jazz Funeral. After a person passes away, family, friends, neighbors, and virtually anybody will partake in a special celebration of the deceased person’s life. However, the ideology behind this event is based on the idea that life itself is greater than the life of any one individual. Although that person’s life is honored and the ceremony typically begins with mourning, it is followed with a huge party filled with live bands, dancing, and lots and lots of eating and drinking. As Piazza puts it, “This isn’t escapism, or denial of grief; it is acceptance of the facts of life, the map of a profound relationship to the grief that is a part of life, and it will tell you something about why the real New Orleans spirit is never silly, or never just silly, in celebration, and never maudlin in grief. Under ordinary circumstances the word “irony” might come to mind, but the detachment implied by the word doesn’t seem to quite fit the situation. It is a way of containing the opposites that are a part of life in a way that allows the individual, and the community, to function with style and grace, even wit, under the most adverse circumstances.”

I think this shared perception about life and death is a very unique quality to the culture of New Orleans. It is something I find personally inspiring and it is a type of mindset that I wish was more widely appreciated.