Remembering Katrina

Are carnival practices like second lines truly subversive or do they simply exist as a way for unjust societies to release the pressures of inequality in a way that ultimately reinforces hierarchal structures? Rebecca Solnit argues that “many traditional carnivals feature subversive and mocking elements…in ways that reclaim power and voice” (2009:168) although she admits that the question of real structural change remains. She concludes that the subversive effect of carnivals (and disasters) varies.

 

Even if social practices such as second lines do not lead to substantive structural changes, they can help facilitate such changes. Second lines, Mardi Gras Indian masking, and other practices play a significant role in the landscape of post-Katrina New Orleans as sites of collective mobilization and collective memory.

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The state of Louisiana has recently received billions of dollars for coastal reconstruction as part of a settlement from the 2010 BP oil disaster. Successful application of these funds depends in part on remembering the mistakes and damage caused over the last ten years. Ten years after Katrina, memory is vital, informing the decisions we make today and the way we choose to shape the future.