Tag Archives: Wake

Who is Left to Pay?

In some cultures, lavish funerals take families to the brink of bankruptcy

In Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, an impoverished widow spends her last rubles on her husband’s funeral and ends up destitute with her three children. The bitter satire of that chapter can still ring as true today as it did in … Continue reading

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Mourning Loss in Brazilian Funerals

This week, we look at how the traditions in Brazilian funerals memorialize the pain of loss

Like the act of death, Brazilian funerals are celebrations that happen almost instantaneously at first, before they extend into a long, drawn out, grieving process. This is a tradition that is born out of necessity, as the warm and moist … Continue reading

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August: Osage County by John Wells

How funerals can create the most intense family stress ever

It would be easy to say August: Osage County was a great film and it was, but the truth is, it was also incredibly stressful to watch. It takes place over just a few weeks yet its densely-packed chock full of … Continue reading

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Filipino Funeral Customs

Paying homage to the dead in the Philippines

A mix of Christian values and indigenous beliefs, Filipino funeral customs represent a unique blend of ancient and contemporary traditions. In times both past and present, Filipino culture has valued a specific set of funeral customs to ensure peaceful transitions … Continue reading

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