Tag Archives: Funeral Rites

The Evolution of After-Tears Parties in South Africa

More young people are bucking tradition and mourning loved ones in their own way

Traditions aren’t static. They constantly warp and evolve with every new generation. This is especially true in South Africa, as younger generations living in urban areas have adopted a brand new burial tradition: after-tears parties. An after-tears party is a time … Continue reading

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Annang Funeral Tradition as Rite of Passage

The Annang people of Nigeria understand "good death" as transition to status of ancestor

The Annang people of Southeastern Nigeria consider death to be natural only when someone dies of old age, according to Dominic Umoh, Ph.D., a lecturer at the University of Agriculture in Makurd, Nigeria. If someone dies young from disease or … Continue reading

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Relocating China’s Dead

The impact of China's economic and population crises on graves

Back in 2009, hedge fund founder Jim Chanos was convinced that China was in the midst of a major economic bubble. Over the preceding decade, the country had invested in billions of square feet of land, building brand new cities between … Continue reading

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Kifudu Funeral Dance of the Giriama People

This African dance brings communities together to send spirits of loved ones to ancestral realms

The Giriama are an agricultural and hunter-gatherer sub-group of the larger Mijikenda ethnic group who live along the coast of Kenya. One of the distinguishing features of their cultural and spiritual life — and a main reason why they were able … Continue reading

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Belarusian Death Traditions: Funeral, Food & Family

Belarusian funeral traditions focus on two things: food and family

Belarus is a country whose history and culture remains a mystery to many westerners. As a place nestled between Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, Belarus also has a history as a divided country. Yet, it’s precisely this diversity … Continue reading

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Exploring the Traditions of Greece

How a funeral rite has outlasted the centuries

One of the most seldom discussed funeral rites in our culture happens to be one of the most ancient. What started in 1100 B.C. Greece is still largely practiced today. In archaic times, Greeks either buried or cremated their loved … Continue reading

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