Fascinating funeral traditions from around the world
Published on Wed Feb 28 2018 in Community
No two New Zealand funerals are the same. Many incorporate cultural or religious traditions, but just as many are more secular celebrations of the person’s life.
But how do people outside of NZ honour their dead? Let’s take a look at a few of the unique and beautiful ways other cultures say goodbye.
Aboriginal funeral rites – Australia
Indigenous Australians often perform several elaborate rituals after a loved one dies. Aboriginal communities have varied funeral practices, but a common thread is ensuring the safe passage of the spirit into the afterlife.
Funeral rites may begin with a smoking ceremony. Native plants are burned to produce smoke, which drives the deceased’s spirit out of their former living area. A feast may be held, where mourners paint their bodies, eat, and perform traditional dances and songs. This is very much a community event, and ceremonies can last for days or even weeks.
For some Aboriginal groups, it is tradition to not speak the name of a dead person or depict them in images. Doing so is believed to disturb the deceased’s spirit. Families may use a substitute name when speaking about a recently passed loved one for a period of time following their death.
Jazz funeral – New Orleans, United States
In the American city of New Orleans, funerals may include a procession accompanied by a marching band playing music. These “jazz funerals” developed in the 1800s, blending European, African and Caribbean influences, and put a special focus on celebrating the life of the deceased.
Jazz funerals begin with family and friends marching along with the hearse to the cemetery. A band accompanies them, playing somber songs or hymns as they progress. However, after the service ends or the hearse leaves the procession, the band begins to play more upbeat music. Family, friends and even onlookers dance along in celebration of the deceased’s life.
Today, jazz funerals are practiced across ethnic and religious boundaries throughout the city. They are especially popular for musicians, those connected to the music industry, or members of Mardi Gras groups. There is also a trend of arranging jazz funerals for young people who have died.
“The turning of the bones” – Madagascar
For the Malagasy people of Madagascar, the journey to the afterlife can take many years. Families perform a ceremony called Famadihana, or “the turning of the bones,” to help their loved ones complete this passage.
Every five to seven years, the remains of the deceased are removed from their family crypt. Family members who have travelled from far and wide carefully remove the burial garments and wrap the bodies in fresh silk shrouds. For two days, the living dance with their deceased relatives, sometimes asking for their blessings or simply sharing stories about them.
Before sunset on the second day, the bodies are carefully returned to the crypt and turned upside down. This ritual helps complete the person’s journey to the beyond, where they will now live with the rest of their ancestors.
Fantasy coffins – Ghana
The Ga people of Ghana are known for crafting custom caskets, known as fantasy coffins. This practice began around 1950, but it’s quickly become an essential part of their funeral services.
For the Ga, life continues after death, and the deceased will resume their earthly profession in the afterlife. To help their loved one, the family commissions a specially made coffin that reflects the deceased’s life on earth. Fantasy coffins can come in just about any shape—a taxi driver may be buried in a coffin shaped like a car, a fish for a fisherman, or a piano for a musician.
Fantasy coffins are expensive, sometimes costing $600—an entire year’s salary for many people in the region. Highly skilled carpenters and apprentices make each coffin to order, spending two to six weeks on each design and working on several coffins at the same time. These coffins are pieces of art, with some even on display in museums around the world.
About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.
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