As in Hindu customs, the location and direction of the body are specified in sacred and important texts. It is preferable to bury the corpse away from high traffic places like the synagogue to avoid health problems, as a corpse can defile an area as it is a “powerful source of impurity” (Kraemer, 2000, p.77). Altough this is the case now, Kraemer notes in ancient times people who had contributed to the synagogue such as high priests and rabbis were laid to rest in the synagogue, “if a person makes
African Music: Uses in Rituals, Celebrations, and Healing Africa is a vast and complex content that is home to over 200 different languages being spoken. Just as the people of Africa are diverse, so is their music, but they are still used for the same reasons. The music they perform is tediously learned and artfully performed. They have songs specifically for one person, like “Magonde” which is a song for the chief played and sung in the Zimbabwe culture (Sinyoro, n.d.). It is an old, traditional
Why a Funeral? Man, indeed, has always showed respect for the remains of a human being. It is as if there was a tacit agreement between us to pay a particular tribute to a dead person. Funeral constitutes a special opportunity, for the friends and close relatives of the deceased, to show their support to the bereaved family at a moment when they badly need it. It aims mainly at helping the living to adjust after the loss of a loved one. What are the Main Reasons Why we Hold a Funeral? 1. To Glorify
The empty corpse is compared to a deep sleep upon burial to the ground. Ancient Assyrians did not view physical death as the ultimate end of a life, the dead continued to exist in the form of a spirit. Ancient Assyrians continually prayed for this spirit after death. As seen in Source 2, Votive figures are statues of various sizes that are commonly carved in gypsum or limestone. They show men wearing fringed fleece skirts, and women wearing fringed dresses draped over one
Some similarities include the viewing of the body or wake, a funeral service to mark the end of life, and a shared meal afterward. In both cultures, a death is a personal event for the departed, but a communal event for the living. Each culture places value in respectfully clothing the body and having it on display for mourners to pay their respects together. Death is also marked by a formal event, where religious
of 2014, there is an estimated 4,200 different religions globally, yet each has it’s own unique traditions. By utilizing tradition a culture further establishes it’s own identity. Therefore, Gods and rituals may be deemed as the passages that can separate one group of people from another. Through storytelling, personal involvement, and literary works, many traditions were passed down from generation to generation. A sense of tradition often determines the success of a civilization and without it their
traditions and rites through the generations, it ensures that with each family, generation, and especially island, that there are differences in how certain ceremonies are held. For example, during her observation of a family’s funeral rites, Hurston asked many different family members how they spotted and trapped any stray duppies, or spirits, that may be around. To Hurston’s surprise, each family member had a slightly different answer to both question, with some saying the way to spot a duppy was
alternatively, one may identify as another, wholly separate culture. Perhaps growing up with a
respect for the dead, and to comfort the living. After a person dies, the eyes are closed, the body is laid on the floor and covered, and candles are lit next to the body. The body is never left alone until after burial, as a sign of respect. Most communities have an organization to care for the dead, known as the chevra kaddisha (the holy society). These people are volunteers. The presence of a dead body is considered a source of ritual impurity. For this reason, a priest may not be in the presence
various religious and cultural beliefs. The Hindu religion focuses on reincarnation and assisting the dead to their next life. Their traditions, such as placing a basil leaf, clarified butter and gold in the deceased’s mouth, help their loved one’s spirit move on. The Islamic religion understands that the death is God’s will and take part in various traditions such as bathing the dead loved one. Buddhist religion focuses on maintaining a relationship with the deceased. By creating an alter and providing