International Funeral Practices
Although death is all around us, the rituals, practices and beliefs that surround it are not the same everywhere you go.
The ways in which we process grief and express our feelings about those close to us who have died are heavily dependent on our culture. Since cultures vary around the world, the associated funeral practices will also be quite different. For many, the way they wish to be celebrated and mourned after their passing will be rooted in their own cultural traditions and beliefs, all of which are deeply meaningful in their own ways. Listed below are just a few examples of some funeral and grief practices internationally, with some links to external sources for additional, detailed information. I would encourage you all to research and connect with the funeral practices where you come from and learn just a little more about the beliefs and values of your ancestors.
Iran
Followers of the Zoroastrian faith believed that a dead corpse defiled all that it touched, including people, earth, water, and fire. In order to dispose of the body, it is taken to a dakhma, also known as the “Tower of Silence”, which is a round stone platform where bodies are placed so they can be eaten by scavenging animals such as vultures and wild dogs.
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Look Further:
Website – Tower of Silence | Where antiquity meets modernity
Video – Tower of Silence . Yazd . Iran
Tibet
The practice of sky burials is common amongst Buddhists in Tibet, where corpses of the dead are placed upon a high peak to be eaten by vultures (similar to the Zoroastrians of Iran). The body is brought to an elevated area by the rogyapas (also known as “body carrier”), who also chops the body into pieces with a lively, positive energy which is said to create the light-hearted atmosphere that is required to aid the soul in reaching heaven.
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Look Further:
Website – Sky Burial in Tibet and Tibetan Funeral Customs
Video – Tibetan Sky Burial
Hong Kong
Given that Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, it is no surprise that burial plots are incredibly expensive. Cremation has become the new norm, even so, cremation urns and storage spaces are also skyrocketing in price. Due to this, the Hong Kong government has been promoting sea burials, where cremated remains are scattered into the ocean on government-funded boats where funeral directors are on board to assist family and friends in the ceremony.
Look Further:
Website – Scattering of Cremated Ashes at Sea
Nigeria
The Igbo people of Nigeria typically hold two funerals for the deceased; the second of which is often held weeks to months after the death has occurred and is called the ikwa ozu ceremony. The duration, contents and celebrations in this ceremony are heavily dependent on the age group and community role of the deceased (ex. A child will have a much shorter ceremony since they were not a full community member yet). The goal of ikwa ozu is to invoke ancestral spirits and ensure safe passage to the spirit world
Look Further:
Website – Nigeria: Igbo’s Second Burial
Video – Ikwa Ozu in Oguta
Madagascar
The Malagasy of Madagascar believe that the spirit does not immediately depart from the body until the body has completely turned to dust and has returned to the Earth. Every few years, the Malagasy conduct a death ritual called Famadihana, also known as “the turning of the bones”; in this multi-day event loved ones’ remains are exhumed and carried back to their villages for cleaning and celebrations.
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Look Further:
Website – Death around the world: Famadihana in Madagascar
Video – Madagascar / Famadihana – A celebration for the deceased
Ghana
It is believed in Ga culture that the dead have great power and influence over the living, so remaining family members wish to do what they can to honour and gain the sympathy of those they have lost. One of the ways of doing this is through fantasy coffins, which are highly customized coffins that speak to the profession or personality of the deceased in a colourful and stylized manor.
Look Further:
Article – Celebrating death in style: Ghana’s fantasy coffins
Video - Fantasy Coffins In Ghana And How Funeral Are Conducted In Ghana|| Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop
South Korea
Becoming increasingly popular in South Korea is the transformation of human ashes into decorative beads. Since cost of urns and storage is increasing, but space is decreasing, many have decided to bypass the traditional cremation process and instead wish to display these beads – which come in a variety of colours – in a way that honours the dead with beauty, in their own homes.
Look Further:
Article – Burial Beads: A South Korean Tradition
Mexico
In Mexico, Día de los Muertos, also known as “Day of the Dead”, is a multi-day festival that includes street parades and parties where families and friends honour and remember their dead. The main purpose of this celebration is to remind people that life is temporary, and the priority should be to appreciate your family, honour your ancestors and respect age-old traditions.
Look Further:
Article – Day of the Dead: Why It’s Celebrated & How
Video - Día de los Muertos: A History
Want to learn more?
Books
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death - Caitlin Doughty
The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal Remains - Thomas W. Laquer
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Videos
Funeral Foods From Around the World - Ask A Mortician
How Different Cultures Dealt With Death - Seeker+
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Articles
Collective Death Rituals Around the World - TalkDeath
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Websites
Funeral Rites Across Different Cultures - Ealing Grid from Learning
References
Amah, Munachim, and Ized Uanikhehi. “Celebrating Death in Style: Ghana's Fantasy Coffins.” CNN, Cable News Network, 27
Nov. 2018, https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/29/africa/ghana-fantasy-coffin/index.html.
“Burial Beads : A South Korean Tradition.” TheLivingUrn.com, The Living Urn, 24 Sept. 2021,
https://www.thelivingurn.com/blogs/news/burial-beads-a-south-korean-tradition.
“Famadihana in Madagascar: Turning of the Bones Death Ritual.” Funeral Guide, 16 Apr. 2019,
https://www.funeralguide.co.uk/blog/death-around-the-world-famadihana-madagascar.
Givari, Haleh. “Tower of Silence: Where Antiquity Meets Modernity.” IranInDepth, 30 June 2020,
https://iranindepth.com/tower-of-silence-where-antiquity-meets-modernity/.
“Nigeria: Igbo's Second Burial.” Myend, 19 July 2021,
https://myend.com/country/nigeria/#:~:text=Ikwa%20ozu%20means%20'celebrating%20the,the%20group
%20of%20their%20ancestors.
S., Addy. “Day of the Dead: Why It's Celebrated & How.” TheTravel, 27 Sept. 2022, https://www.thetravel.com/why-and-how-
to-celebrate-the-day-of-the-dead/.
Sang, Kham. “Sky Burial in Tibet ,Tibetan Funeral Customs.” TibetTravel.org, 5 Nov. 2020,
https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-funeral.html.
“Scattering of Cremated Ashes at Sea.” GreenBurial.gov.hk, Hong Kong Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene ,
2018, https://www.greenburial.gov.hk/en/scattering-cremains-sea/intro.html.