Death Attitudes Across Cultures

8/7/2019 Death Attitudes Across Cultures

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By Nicholas & Maryia


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y Introduction

y Death-related Symbols Across Cultures

y Griefand its stages

y GriefCustoms and Rituals Across Cultures- African Cultures

- Asian Cultures

- European and American Cultures

y References


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Death is a universal phenomenon

and experience.It is a realityeachperson has to face at somepoint inhis or her life. Every society andgeneration has constructed itsown solutions to theproblem ofdeath, and has enshrined them in

their beliefs and customs.Responses to death and the ritualsand beliefs surrounding it vary

widely across the world. Themeaning people attach to death

and the various mourning ritualsand ceremonies thattheyperformare strongly shaped bythe valuesand institutions oftheir cultureand society (Hayslip & Peveto2005).


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y From a cross-cultural perspective, color has been usedalmost universallyto symbolize both the griefandtrauma related to death as well as the concept of

afterlife. The colors associated with death in mostcultures include:

y Black gloom, darkness, end. Customaryto mostwestern and African cultures.

y

White peace, purity, joy, eternal life with God.Customaryto most Eastern cultures.

y Red disaster, pain, sudden death.


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Griefis a normal and natural responseto loss ofsomeone orsomething. Griefhas emotional, physical, cognitive, behavioral,and social dimensions.

Stages of GriefKubler-Ross Grief Cycle Model:

y Denial (this isn't happening to me!)

y Anger (why is this happening to me?)

y Bargaining (Ipromise I'll be a better person if...)

y Depression (Idon't care anymore)

y Acceptance (I'm ready forwhatever comes) (Kubler-Ross, 1979).


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Roberta Temes is a renowned

psychotherapist whose work has become

a self-help guidefor dealing with griefand bereavement.In

LivingWith An Empty Chair - a guidethrough grief(1980),Temes accurately describes threeparticular types ofbehavior exhibited bythose suffering from griefand loss.These include:

yNumbness (mechanical functioning and socialinsulation)

y Disorganization (intenselypainful feelings ofloss)

y Reorganization (re-entry into a more 'normal' social life.)


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African Culturesy More outward expressions ofemotions, such as loud crying andy Wailing.y Close ancestral family members and relatives make arrangements for

thefuneral, offering support and share inthe grief.y A wake-keeping is held atthe home ofthe deceased everynightfrom

thetime ofthe death to thetime ofthe burial. Atthe wake-keeping,people chat, eat, drink, and share jokes.

y Elaboratetraditional funeral rituals are performed before and afterburial.

y Afuneral ceremonyfollowed by burial, entertainment andrefreshment. Cremation is not accepted in most African cultures. Mostfunerals occur at home, churches or mosques.

y Memorial services and commemorative gifts, usually after one year.


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y Mayexpress griefand mourning in private or openlydisplayed.

y Closefamily and community members usually providemost ofthe supportneeded during the grieving process.

y

Complex rituals are performed. E.g.In Chinese culture,paper money, paper houses, and other material goodsare often burned in order to givethe deceased goodsend off and to ensurethatthey will not live in poverty.

y InIndian culture, mourning is done in private and some

family members (e.g. mothers) maynot go to the cemetery.y Traditional elaboratefuneral ceremonies.y Mostfunerals occur in cemeteries. Hindus are cremated.


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y Visitation - A visitation is often held theevening beforethe day ofthefuneral.However, whenthe deceased person is elderlythe visitation may be heldimmediately preceding thefuneral. This allows elderlyfriends ofthe deceased achanceto view the body and attend thefuneral in onetrip, since it may bedifficultfor them to arrangetravel; this step may also betaken ifthe deceasedhas few survivors or the survivors want a funeral with only a small number ofguests.

y Funeral - A memorial service, often called a funeral, is often officiated by clergyfrom the decedent's, or bereaved's, church or religion. Afuneral maytake placeateither a funeral home or church. Afuneral is held according to thefamily'schoosing which may be a few days after thetime ofdeath, allowing familymembers to attend the service.

y The burial service - A burial service, conducted atthe side ofthe grave, tomb,

mausoleum or cremation, at which the body ofthe decedent is buried orcremated atthe conclusion.In manytraditions, a meal or other gathering oftenfollows the burial service, also called a repast. This gathering may be held atthedeceased's church or another off-site location. Somefuneral homes have largespaces set asideto providefuneral dinners.


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y Inthe south, funerals, for the mostpart, continueto bevery sacredevents (e.g.peoplepull to the side oftheroad when a burial processionpasses)

y

Inthe west, things can be radically different. Afuneralcantake on a wholly secular aura (i.e.no mention ofGod, no reading

from the Bible, no

sacred reflections,and no spiritual

hymns)


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y Griefand mourning are usually openly displayed andconnected to local customs

y Funeral process is much connected with Christiantraditions - Orthodox or Catholic

y Some ceremonies arebased on superstitions (e.g.

covering ofmirrors inthe

house)

y Funeral process differs forpeople who committed

suicide


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y Hayslip, B. & Peveto, C. A. (2005).Cultural changes in attitudes towarddeath, dying, and bereavement. New York: Springer PublishingCompany

y Kubler-Ross, E. (1979). On death and dying. New York: MacmillanPublishing Co. Inc.

y

Sandra, L.L; JoAnne, M. Y; Brooten, D. (2006).Cross-Cultural beliefs,ceremonies, and rituals surrounding death of a loved one. [Online].Retrieved November 04, 2010 from Jannetti Publications, Inc.http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/525639_1

y Temes, R. (1980). Living with anempty chair - a guidethrough grief.New Jersey: New Horizon Press.

y

Samovar L.A. & Porter R.E. (2007).C

ommu

nication betw

een cu

ltu

res7e. Canada:Wadsworth.y Tomer A. & Grafton T.E. (2008).Existential and SpiritualIssues in

Death Attitudes. New York:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

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Death Attitudes Across Cultures