BURIAL RITUALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Video about Physical Appearance

Video about Physical Appearance 

Suffering the loss of our beloved ones is undoubtedly one of the bitterest moments of live. Perhaps, that is why, through history, people have developed meaningful ways of holding funerals all around the world. These rituals not only have the main purpose of honor the death ones, but they also accomplish  the function of offering companion and love to family and friends of the death ones. Most of us know about basically two ways of saying goodbye to the dead: cremations and burials. However, you'll be surprised to know about some of the strange, peculiar and even eccentric burial rituals that different cultures around the world practice.

Here are some weird funeral rituals from around the world:

SOUTH KOREA:

 Turning the Dead into Gems

Many people in South Korea opt for cremation of their beloved ones due to the overpopulation and lack of space in the traditional cemeteries. Nevertheless, some people choose a very special form of compress the remains of the dead person. They distribute the ashes into gem-like beads in different colors. This miniature pieces are then disposed in special containers, urns or bottles.

INDONESIA:
 Living with the Dead

In an Indonesian region, the Torajan People hold a tradition that may seem disturbing for some; they keep their beloved ones very close to them.  Literally, they do not bury people who die. Instead, they maintain the corpses in their houses, and they talk and pray to them. They believe that the dead ones can still listen to their words and that their spirit continues alive inside of the body.

 

 

 TIBET:

Granting the Vessels to the Birds

The Tibetan Sky Burial is one of the most famous untraditional burial rituals. During this ritual, Buddhists groups sometimes cut the body up into pieces and leave them on a hill for the birds to feast on. Buddhists see dead bodies as empty vessels and consider these sky burials an act of charity and compassion. 

MADAGASCAR:
Turning of the Bones

Famadihana is the name of this special ritual that takes place once every seven years, at the tribes of Malagasy people in Madagascar. During this celebration, familiars and friends, dig up and exhume the corpses of their passed-away people, wrap them in cloth and dance with them as a way to remember and honor them. They also spray it with wine and tell stories of their families. After the celebration, they bury the bones again and wait seven more years to repeat.

 

GHANA:
Burying in Fantasy Coffins

In this African country, people like to be buried in something that represents their lives. Most of the times the closest people are the ones in charge of selecting a coffin that may resemble a special characteristic (occupation, hobby, interests) of the death. These include coffins shaped like animals, vehicles, shoes, characters from movies and others.

NEW GUINEA:  

Cutting off the Fingers

Among the Dani tribe of New Guinea, a tradition that is already banned continues to happen in some families. In this culture, women and children had to cut off one of their fingers any time a familiar passed away. This was done to drive away spirits. They also believe that the physical pain help to release the suffering that death cause

THE AMAZONS:  

Eating the Death

The Yanomani tribes that still inhabit the Amazons keep the custom of cremating the death bodies of their beloved ones in a sacred ritual and eat the ashes mixed with special pastes they prepare. This ritual represents for them an act of compassion and also absorption of the life-force of the death.  

FLORIDA, USA: 

 Becoming Part of the Ocean

Some companies in the United States are already offering this burial option. After cremating the death body, they mix the ashes with a special kind of eco-friendly concrete. With this mixture, they create “reef balls,” that are then lowered into the ocean. These reefs will soon adopt corals and marine life.  

 

What do you want to happen to your body when you die?

 Here's a question we all have to answer sooner or later: What do you want to happen to your body when you die? Funeral director Caitlin Doughty explores new ways to prepare us for inevitable mortality. In this thoughtful talk, learn more about ideas for burial (like "recomposTing" and "conservation burial") that return our bodies back to the earth in an eco-friendly, humble and self-aware way.

NOW... HOW WELL CAN YOU REMEMBER THE RITUALS AND THE PLACES WHERE THEY ARE PERFORMED?

Click on this link to play a memory game:

https://es.educaplay.com/es/recursoseducativos/4121066/html5/burial_rituals.htm