Death is considered one of the greatest mysteries of life. It is feared by many and celebrated as much as life itself by others. Yet, it is a quintessential part of cultural life, not just a personal affair but a communal one. Traditional rituals bridge the divide between the dead and the grieving – venerating the dead and providing both strength and solace to the living.
Traditional rituals related to death date as far back as 60,000 BC, with evidence that Neanderthals buried their dead with flowers, much as we do today. The Bo people of ancient China buried their dead in hanging coffins on limestone cliffs on both sides of the 5,000 meter-long Bochuangou as they dreamed of going somewhere peaceful and quiet after their death. Not all ancient cultures shared such positive views on death though. For several shamanistic cultures, earlier burial rites and customs were primarily carried out to appease the spirits who were thought to be responsible for unnatural deaths, protecting the living in the process. In some extreme cases, the home of the deceased was razed to prevent the spirit from returning.
Today, ceremonies and rituals imbued with deep religious and social meanings are a common practice in many cultures in order to remember the dead. To the Chinese, funeral rites are a serious matter – they are a display of filial piety, traditionally observed right down to the smallest detail so as to prevent the disruption of the spirit’s peaceful transition to heaven. Improper arrangements on the part of the deceased’s family would mean the deceased would be doomed to be a homeless wanderer, with disaster and bad luck befalling those who are still living. Before the body is placed in the coffin, it is ceremonially cleansed, embalmed and dressed in a favorite piece of clothing which cannot be white or anything with the color red on it. It is taboo for a family and friends to witness the placement of the body into the coffin, but during the wake, they should continue to watch over the coffin and place food in front of it as an offering to the deceased. They may also burn effigies of luxuries and paper money to enrich their loved one in the life after death. As for displays of grief, it is customary for blood relatives and daughters-in-law to wear mourning clothes and wail while mourning as it is seen as a sign of respect and loyalty to the deceased. As it is believed that the departed continues to live in the spiritual realm, watching over family affairs and influencing the fortunes of the living, the Chinese demonstrates equal respect to their deceased as they do to their living family members even after the burial, including them in key occasions.
In comparison, the Islamic concept of death is a simple one, with the idea being that man has emerged from Allah and will return to Him. Muslims believe that death does not signify the end of a person’s existence; it is only a departure from the life in this world. As a result of this belief, the official mourning period for Muslims tends to be relatively short, with the deceased promptly buried within a day after death and the embalming process avoided, preventing any possible disturbance to the body of the deceased. The common practice is for the deceased to be taken to the mosque after he is physically cleansed. Led by an iman (prayer leader), the community joins in the special prayers recited for the occasion silently before proceeding to the graveyard, where burial tales place. Wrapped in shrouds of clean, white cloth (kafan), the deceased is then laid to rest on his right, facing Mecca without the use of a casket.
Unlike traditional funeral rituals found in most countries that treat the dead with utmost respect, the unique Tibetan practice of sky burial (jhator) as a means of disposing of the corpses of commoners may seem quite brutal. Tibetans believe that the corpse is nothing more than an empty vessel since the soul of the deceased has exited the body to be reincarnated into another circle of life. Thus, upon death, the deceased will be left untouched for three days, with Tibetan monks chanting around the corpse in preparation for this unique form of burial. On the day of burial, the body of the deceased is systematically cut into chunks of meat, with the bones smashed and mixed with roasted barley flour (tsampa). Much to the amazement of the non-Tibetans who have witnessed this burial process, the corpse is then offered to the vultures for consumption. Tibetans believe that these vultures are Daikinis or ‘sky dancers’ who will take the soul of the deceased to the heavens. To ensure that the soul reaches its destination, the entire body of the deceased, organs and cones inclusive, is completely fed to the cultures. To some, the ritual is deemed as a barbaric or even a crude form of pagan practice. To the Tibetans, the act of donating the deceased’s flash itself is a virtuous act of generosity as it saves the lives of the vultures’ potential prey, very much like Sakyamuni who once fed a hawk with his own flesh to save the life of a pigeon.
While death is a topic largely avoided by most, Mexicans remember and honor their deceased loved ones through a colorful and festive holiday – the Dia de Los Muertos or the Day of the Dead. Mexicans view death as a transition of life, a normal stage in the circle of life on earth. By seeing it as a natural progression rather than an ending, Mexicans honor and remember their deceased loved ones with pomp and fanfare during this festive period that is celebrated between 31 October and 2 November. Many Mexicans will visit cemeteries to communicate with souls of their dearly departed as they believe that it is easier for these souls to visit the living during this festival. Private altars that contain the favorite food and beverages of the departed, together with photos and memorabilia are erected to encourage the visits by the souls, therefore allowing them to celebrate the occasion with those who are living. In some cases, celebrants wear shells on their clothing so that when they dance, the dead will wake up because of the noise. Larger cities, such as Mexico city, will shut the city down for a full day of two and feature huge Mexican Day of the Dead parades that fill the streets with colorful performances and Halloween-like costumes, much to the delight of tourists who have made their way down to witness the annual spectacle.
Rituals and ceremonies provide us with a way of dealing with the sorrow that arises from the death of our dear ones. From the traditional practices of the Chinese and Muslims to the unusual practices of the Tibetan disposal of the body, and Mexican celebrations of death, such rituals are a necessary process to help us confront our grief, accept it and keep going on – both in life and spirit.
Adapted from Present Perfect issue 3/2009
No comments:
Post a Comment