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Tips on Attending Cultural Funerals
By Jeffrey Meier
Many people see funerals as a very difficult time that
represents the loss of a loved one. However, many
cultures handle funeral proceedings in different ways
based on tradition. So while you may be accustomed to
the process of meeting at the funeral home, having the
service, trailing the hearse with casket to the cemetery
then burying the body, you may be surprised by the ways
other cultures bid farewell to their family and friends.
Traditional Hispanic Funerals
The word Hispanic in and of itself can be ambiguous, as
it is used to describe a number of nationalities and
ethnicities of Spanish-speaking individuals. However, to
group people from Spain with people from Brazil would be
doing a disservice to those who have highly-traditional
cultural backgrounds that they are immensely proud of
and identify with. So for this reason, when looking at
the traditional Hispanic funeral, it will be a
generalization of similar traditions that seem to
stretch across more than a few Hispanic cultures and is
not intended to work as a "catch-all" for all of the
cultures.
The more common understanding of funerals and deaths
within Hispanic culture is the idea that life and death
are viewed similarly as something to be celebrated, not
feared, for it is the acknowledgment of a soul's
home-going. Since many people of Hispanic heritage are
Catholic, they tend to take on the traditions of
Catholicism, which treat funerals as a part of the
process of dying - not necessarily waiting until after
the death has occurred.
In this case, funerals often begin when a person is on
his or her death bed. At this time, the communion of
last rights is performed, which includes the anointing
of the ill, the hearing of their confessions, prayers,
Communion and a blessing for peace. Someone within the
family is normally sure to be present with the dying
individual until they pass on. And after the person has
passed on, someone continues to stay with the body until
it is prepared for the burial and wake - the wake being
a social time when friends and family come together to
eat, laugh and listen to music while talking about their
fond memories of the loved on who has passed on while
waiting for the burial. Lit candles and flowers are very
important and highly visible during the wake, as well as
the funeral.
The official funeral takes place the day after the wake
with a priest or clergyman presiding over the ceremony.
Often times, people place personal items and gifts on
the casket to help the deceased have a successful and
loving journey to the afterworld. After the ceremony is
complete, the burial takes place - often times in the
homeland of the deceased as a way to honor and be close
to family members who have passed on. The burial
represents a new phase and beginning of freedom for the
deceased - now they are able to help those they love who
are still living.
After funerals and burials, families usually have a
gathering or reception with food and more time to come
together and enjoy each other's company - and once again
pray for and remember their loved one who has moved
forward to the spirit world.
Chinese Buddhist Funeral Customs
Whereas some cultures allow for cremation, the Chinese
societies that practice Buddhism tend to stay away from
anything that is deemed improper in arranging funerals
for doing so can cause ill fortune to the family of the
deceased. While the specific funeral rites and burial
customs can vary depending on the age of the deceased,
the marital status, how he or she died and his or her
status in society, much of the process is the same for
all individuals.
There are many examples of how the deceased is treated
differently depending on age and status. For instance,
if an unmarried son dies before his parents, the parents
are not allowed to bring his body home to the family
after death and instead it must be left at the funeral
parlor. Also, the parents are not allowed to offer
prayers for the son because being a younger person he is
not owed the same respect as an older, married person
with children. Even more, if a baby or small child dies,
no service can be provided at all because no respect can
be shown due to the young age. However, if a person is
older and highly respected, the family must perform the
most elaborate service for him or her, even if they go
into debt doing so.
When the death occurs, the family must immediately cover
all statues of deities in the house with red paper and
remove mirrors to avoid seeing the coffin (which is
brought to the home) in the mirror because it is
believed to cause death shortly after. Also, a white
cloth is hung across the main entrance to the house with
a gong placed on the left of the doorway if the deceased
is a male and to the right if the deceased is a female.
Before the family can place the body in the coffin, it
must be cleaned with a damp towel and dusted with talcum
powder. Then it is dressed in his or her best clothing
from head to toe. Once the corpse is dressed and placed
in the coffin, the body is covered with a light blue
cloth and the face is covered with a yellow one.
During the wake, the coffin either rests in the house or
outside of the house to represent the person dying in
the home or away for the home, respectively. The family
and friends gather for the cake and eat food placed in
front of the coffin. And the family also performs a
series of rituals and prayers to respect the dead.
After the wake ceremonies are completed, the coffin is
nailed shut and carried to side of the road to be
additionally prayed over before being taken (usually by
hearse) to burial grounds that are normally found on
hillsides for better feng shui. When the casket is
buried the family turns away from the coffin to show
respect and later the mourners' clothes are to be buried
to evade bad luck.
There are many more ways that different cultures perform
funerals in order to pay respects to their loved ones,
but these are just a few. No matter how any one culture
handles its funerals, they can all agree that their
traditions and customs are all meant to send their
friends and family members to a better, more peaceful
place.
Jeffrey Meier at Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.thearticlehome.com
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