Spirits of New Orleans. Kala Ambrose
your call. I grew up with a healthy respect for this magic and with the understanding that this magic also lives within me.
I heard the siren song of the muses who stand guard over Louisiana, and I answered their call very early in life. Though I have traveled and lived in many areas of the United States, I have always held the spirit of Louisiana in my heart and soul. She and I are one, and her magic runs deep into my core. Each time I return, the ancient magic stirs and recognizes that this is my home. Each day that I stay in New Orleans, deeper memories of past lives spent here in the city surface. Each time I write about New Orleans, the people and their ghosts join me in remembrance of times gone by in the hope that New Orleans is to be reborn once again.
Join me on this magical mystery tour as I become your travel guide to the other side. As your travel guide, I’ll point out the history, mystery, and legends of the city that you may have passed by before without knowing what lay in wait inside. I’ll also share with you which ghosts are still actively haunting the city and why. By the end of this journey, you may also find yourself enchanted and charmed by the spirit of Louisiana and New Orleans.
For those of you who have never been to the city, I’m going to introduce you to the lady and beguile you into falling in love with her. For those of you have been to NOLA and haven’t been back in awhile, I’m going to help you fall in love all over again.
In this book we will explore the history of the city and those who decided to make it their eternal home, as a resting place for some and a point of revenge for others. As the legendary Bette Davis once said, “Fasten your seat belts—it’s going to be a bumpy night,” as we delve into Voodoo curses, vampire legends, lost souls, and the cities of the dead.
Once the romance of the city is fully in bloom, I’ll be your guide into the dark side of the city, where ghosts haunt the streets and every corner. I’ll show you where I’ve run into ghosts and other supernatural entities in broad daylight and on foggy nights, and I’ll share with you some of the most haunted sites in the city.
At the end of this ride, you’ll come away knowing a great deal about the history of New Orleans and her people, as well as the ghosts who have decided they will never leave.
NEW ORLEANS—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
The city has been in the news lately regarding politics, disaster recovery efforts (and non-efforts), crime, and, most recently, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Each report is extremely important and is of great concern.
I often worry some days about the coming earth changes and if cities such as New Orleans will one day be swallowed up by the oceans and remain only a distant memory. Perhaps we will tell future generations about the city that had such a generosity of spirit that it threw the world’s biggest free party and Carnival every year for all who wished to attend. Magnificent floats were built, people wore elaborate costumes, and everyone danced in the streets wearing boas and catching the free souvenirs, such as beads and doubloons, being tossed to them.
I think about this and wonder if these future generations shake their heads in disbelief while living in cold steel cities where parades consist of little more than uniform marching bands with small banners. Perhaps they’ll laugh at these tales and compare them to the mythological stories of the cities Atlantis and Lemuria.
For this reason, I write in the hopes that future generations will know that true magical cities did and do exist, and, if at all possible, those who can will move heaven and earth to see that New Orleans survives. Her soul belongs to the muses and the bohemians who heed the call of art, music, literature, dance, theater, history, self-expression, and love in all forms.
New Orleans is a unique and deeply important part of the United States that must be preserved. In many ways, it is the soul of this great land, where music, art, and creative enterprises are born and venture onward throughout the country on the wings of muses to the delight and joy of many.
My intent here is to share the beauty and the magic of New Orleans in harmony with the haunted history in a city so special and so unique that it truly deserves to be respected as a rich cultural treasure.
The stories and information I share here are true to the best of my knowledge, experience, and research. History is never truly accurate in all accounts, and many of these stories have been passed down orally through the generations. As such, the possibility of some of the information being embellished and changed over time may have occurred. The story of the LaLaurie house is one example where recent further research revealed a completely new twist to the haunted tale. In due diligence, I’ve collected eyewitness accounts, local lore and legends, and stories based on these beautiful haunted spaces. I then attempted to confirm as many of these details as possible by court records, museums, and other legal documents and books available regarding these stories. Finally, I visited each location independently as a psychic and a medium to see what I could discern and experience in each location and, when possible, to speak with the spirits directly.
The result of this investigation is presented here in the Spirits of New Orleans. May the tales of these spirits delight, entertain, and enchant you along the journey.
In love, joy, and a sprinkle of magic,
~Kala~
To enjoy the music and spirit of New Orleans, listen to WWOZ Radio 90.7FM, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station. When not in the city, you can still listen to the station streaming online at wwoz.org or from your smart phone with its app.
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