Funeral traditions from around the world
In Britain, funeral practices tend to be fairly formal and general affairs. We gather and celebrate our loved ones’ life, before they are either cremated or laid to rest in a grave, with some words to remember them etched upon a headstone or memorial. But what of funeral practices elsewhere in the world/ how do they differ from our own celebrations and remembrances? In this article, we travel the globe and see the differences in how people pay homage to those they have lost.
New Orleans Jazz festival
New Orleans is a place like no other, where spirituality and music are almost inseparable. Known as the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans has a rich culture and long history of music permeating every aspect of life, and death. Jazz funerals, whilst not for everyone, are usually held for public figures or high-profile individuals but can be requested by anyone. The procession usually starts at a funeral home, church or memorial and tends to be a sombre affair, not unlike our own services. Once the service is finished, the Jazz procession begins. A slow, melancholy tune is played as the funeral procession makes its way through the streets to the burial ground, often joined by those not able to join the service, picking up respectful mourners as it traverses the streets.
Once at the burial place, a small religious ceremony is performed before the body is placed in a tomb, known as ‘cutting the body loose.’ This is when the music changes to joyful melodies and fast-paced jazz, symbolising that the deceased has gone to a better place and no longer suffers worldly concerns. As the music changes, so does the mood. Celebrations begin as the crowd, like the body, begins to ‘cut loose.’ The parade now heads back to where the wake is held, and passers-by and friends of the deceased are invited to join the celebrations.
Some popular, upbeat songs that may be played after the body is cut loose range from ‘The Saints Go Marching In,’ to ‘What a Friend We Have In Jesus.’
Sky burial in Mongolia and Tibet
The Sky Burial is a burial at all, in fact, it is what is known as a form of ‘excarnation.’ In this practice, the deceased is dressed and left in a sitting position for two days and a Lama recites the necessary prayers and death rites. Then it gets a little strange for Western sensibilities. The spine is broken so that the deceased can be carried easily to the ‘burial site’ followed by the beating of drums. Then the rogyapa (body breakers) burn Juniper to attract vultures and crows and the body is dismembered and fed to the birds.
Whilst this practice may seem barbaric almost to our Western minds, there is good reason for it in the high places of Tibet and Mongolia. For starters, they are generally Buddhist, which preaches love and care for all creatures. They believe the body is just a shell for the spirit, and when the spirit leaves the body should be used to nourish other creatures. The second reason is far more practical. Tibet is above the treeline, meaning that wood is scarce, and due to the cold temperatures and layer of permafrost, it would be all but impossible to dig a grave deep enough to stop scavenging animals from taking the remains anyway. So whilst we may think this is a strange and gruesome way to say goodbye to a loved one, it’s actually quite beautiful.
Famadihana – Turning of the bones
Famadihana is a sacred ritual practised by certain ethnic groups in Madagascar. They believe that ancestors serve as intermediaries between the living and God and have the power to intervene in what is happening in their lives. These groups have two classes in society. The living and ancestors. A deceased who hasn’t decomposed is in between these classes. Every 5 to 7 years the living exhume the bodies, carefully rewrap them and spray them with perfume, and then dance and drink and generally have a great time with the deceased. It is a time of great joy, especially for the recently deceased as they can cross from limbo to an ancestor. Once the sun begins to set the ancestors are then re-wrapped and placed back in the tomb to await the next celebration.
Three wildly different funeral processions and traditions show how diverse and wonderful the human race is, especially when it comes to honouring the life and love of our departed. It goes to show that it isn’t what makes us different that is important, but all the things that make us the same. Grief, mourning and celebration, and how we honour and remember our dead.
Sarah Wirth is the content writer for South Wales Monuments and updates our blog regularly with helpful advice and new information.
Recent Posts
- Funeral Poems & Epitaphs
- Choosing a Headstone & Epitaph
- The Types of Headstones That Are Available
- Funeral traditions from around the world
- From Then to Now: The History of the Headstone
- Headstone Designs
- Headstone Wording
- Helping a Bereaved Friend When You Can’t Be There in Person
- Overcoming Your Fear Of Funerals
- Going Back To Work After Bereavement
Recent Comments