Death and Dying rituals.
All that we have covered up to now will be used in this lesson
on death and dying. Indeed, customs relating to death include race and ethnicity, SES and gender, age expectations, belief
systems and more.
The disposition of the dead body has many
implications and is treated quite differently throughout the world. Thailand has Wizards who direct everything to do with
death. An unbroken string is placed completely around the house or compound with only one tie at the gate (which must be blessed
by the Wizard). That keeps the bad spirits out who would want to take over the body. The body lies in the house wherever the
Wizard says it should and for as long as he says it should stay.
When he says the time has come, the body is moved out of the house in whatever direction he commands. This sometimes
means the removal of walls. The body is taken to a very ornate wagon full of wood with a large spire that must be hinged (to
lower it for power lines).
The body and all are set on fire when
the wagon reaches the proper destination. For poorer people, cheap crematoriums exist so the smells of burning flesh often
greats the morning in smaller towns and villages.
In
ancient Europe, when dead males were cremated, their living wives were expected to jump on the funeral pyre to go with him
to take care of him so he would not make trouble for the living. Eventually a new idea changed that. It was decided to cremate
only at night and have everyone wear black (especially the widow) so the dead man's spirit could not see anyone to make
mischief. That is how the color black became associated with death in our society. Other groups, such as the Chinese, use
other colors to signify death such as red or white.
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Main points from “The Principles
and Practice of Embalming” chapter 2 on funeral rites of the past
Some ancient groups would simply throw the corpse into the jungle or other wild area for animals to devour (Parsees
and others).
Ancient Aryans cremated the dead and then
placed the ashes in urns “built in the shape of a hut.”
Some ancient groups not only cremated their dead, but also their belongings (Zulu).
Some ancient groups would sacrifice property, people, or animals to honor their dead (Laplander,
Pomeranian, Greenland, Arabs, Africa, Japan, Fiji, Chippewa and other American Indians). In some cultures, the wife, family,
and even friends were strangled to death during the funeral (depending on the political stature of the deceased).
Wife burning was somewhat common in ancient times but is
not found anywhere today. However the Quakeolith Indians would tie the wife to a stake and let her burn somewhat at the death
of her husband before they would save her from the flames.
Even today some widows, no matter what age, are considered ½ dead and therefore are only allowed to beg in
the streets and not touch anyone.
Ancient Norsemen
drink from the skull of dead comrades as if it were a cup.
Some other ancient groups would cremate a loved one then mix the remains in a food or drink. The priests in Tartary
made the ashes into cakes and ate them.
Some saw
the dead body as a trap for the person’s spirit –among some of those groups such as the Calatians and Belearians
cannibalism as the only way to release the spirit from the dead body.
Some ancient peoples would mutilate their own bodies (Canaan, East Indies, Maoris, and Hawaiians) or even commit
suicide at the death of a loved one.
Some ancients
concluded that a dead body could hurt pregnant women.
Some
ancient groups would either walk around the dead body or set a fire around a dead body to keep a barrier between the living
and the dead.
Still other ancient groups would throw
spears and arrows into the air after a person died to deck evil spirits from attacking the dead body or the survivors. The
same idea found in modern day is the firing of guns at military funerals.
Some human groups have felt that the dead were “unclean” and it was “tabu” (Polynesian) to
touch them as it would result in a “pollution or defilement.”
Ancient Persia said that “he who touched a corpse was ‘powerless in mind, tongue, and hand’”
Hebrews considered a person who had touched a corpse
“unclean” for a period of time.
Even
today most people have difficulty in touching a dead body.
Some would remove the defilement by cremating the body, some by burying it. Ancient Rome and Greece buried their
dead at night so as to not pollute the sunlight.
Some
groups (Colcieans and Ghonds) would bury women but not men the men were cremated or placed into trees. Bongas buried both
sexes but had men facing the North and women facing the South.
Some American Indians would flee the area at the death of a tribal member. They would usually leave all the person’s
belongings behind.
Many ancient groups wore special clothes
(mourning clothes) and changed every day habits to confuse the spirit of the deceased.
Ancient Egyptians would turn the corpse around several time to confuse it as to not know which
was he was going. The loved ones would wear mourning clothes and shave their eyebrows. They did even more if a cat died (considering
them Divine) and plucked out “every hair on the body.” It is estimated that 400 million humans were mummified
between 6000 BC and 600 AD. This was to allow the spirit of the deceased to do the “circle of necessity” which
took 3,000 years. They also embalmed cats during this period.
Many groups wore mourning clothes including veils (Guinea) or even painted their entire body black (Celts). Guineans
would dance and stomp upon the grave to crush any evil spirits.
Some dressed the deceased in special ways. The Carpathians “never buttoned the clothes of the dead.”
Anything that might hinder the dead, even a ring on a finger, was taboo.
Orthodox Jews still open a window to let the deceased’s spirit fly out. In hopes that the person may not actually
be dead, the sepulcher was not closed until the 3rd day.
Irish wakes and other rituals began anciently as a way to make sure that death had really occurred. There was a hope
that the deceased might suddenly show signs of life that would require the help of the loved ones. It also served as a way
for the loved ones to watch over the body to make sure evil spirits did not try to inhabit the body.
Some ancient practices are still used today, although the reason for doing do is long forgotten.
One example is that the body is carried out feet first- for no apparent reason. Another is whispering when around a corpse.
Floral offerings and food anciently were supposed to help the spirit of the deceased to look upon the survivors with favor
instead of malice but later began to be a show of how affluent the giver was. Anciently music and bell ringing were ways to
discourage evil spirits from trying to possess the body of the deceased.
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In visiting
cemeteries, it becomes obvious that SES follows many even to the grave. Some have splendid headstones; some have only a small
wooden plank.
The "right to die with dignity,"
with both medical and legal concerns, has become a serious problem ion the US. Euthanasia, whether passive or active, is no
longer simple, and a patient may not be allowed to refuse treatment. Living Wills should be employed to help in times of difficult
decisions.
"Prolongation of dying (in the patient's
last year of life) has resulted in 90% of health care expenses," according to Riemenschneider of Case Western Reserve
University. "Are we extending the quality of life or only the life at tremendous
costs?"
Upon the loss of a loved one, the grief
process must be worked through to allow the survivors required adjustment. Some people try to avoid the process and only delay
the emotions that must be felt and worked through to understanding of their loss. "It takes as long as it takes"
(Kathleen Braza in "To Touch a Grieving Heart"). There is no set time limit for the grieving process and everyone
must go through it in their own way.
