The The Influence of the Mediterranean on Funeral Ceremonies and Funeral Music in Slovenian Coastal Areas

Abstract

The article describes contemporary funeral music practices in the Primorska region. After a brief overview of laments in the Mediterranean, it focuses on modern funerals and points out the influence of Mediterranean countries, especially Italy, on funerals in Primorska. It explains how the type of funeral ceremony and the choice of music are coloured by the presence of the sea, giving an account of the most common musical ensembles and repertoires of songs. It compares funerals of members of the Italian minority in Slovenia with funerals in Italian coastal regions. The research is based on ethnographic work and scientific literature, as well as articles on funeral ceremonies taken from daily newspapers, magazines and the Internet. The fieldwork is based on research at cemeteries using the participatory observation method and semi-structured interviews. In Primorska, funerals accompanied by the scattering of ashes into the sea are becoming more frequent, as are songs with a maritime theme and songs in Italian.