Different countries follow different cultures based on their religion and beliefs. Not only beliefs but their traditions and rituals also play a huge role in it. When it comes to the death scenario, all these factors have a great impact on the perceptions about death in various cultures worldwide.
Each culture perceives death differently, from organizing funerals to symbols of grief to the belief in an afterlife, there is a unique story to perceive death in every tradition. For instance, in the Western culture, people wear black in funerals as black is associated with death in their traditions whereas white is worn in the Eastern culture, which can be taken as a sign of peace, which means a person after death can rest at peace.
1. Irish Culture
In Irish culture, people believe that if the spirit exists after death, people can offer prayer and sorrows to it during the wake until the funeral. However, on the day of death, in some cases, Irish people open the coffin to allow people to offer their prayers to the deceased, however, this is not the case for all Irish people.
Further, in terms of beliefs, Irish people perceive death in three spirits, which is mainly the case in West and North-West Irish culture. There is a belief in three death fairies, Banshee, Dullahan, and Chรณiste Bodhar.
It is believed that Banshee is associated with the before-death scenarios, the person whose time is near may see her but definitely hears her, itโs possible that some of the family members also hear her, which signifies that death is on its way. While Dullahan is believed to be a headless horseman who often comes to collect the souls of deceased who might have encountered a sudden or violent death, Chรณiste Bodhar brings the souls to the afterlife.
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2. Mexican Culture
Like any other culture, the Mexican culture follows a unique way of perceiving death. Mexicans organize a funeral at church and then at the cemetery, and then they arrange a wake of nine days for a family gathering, in which their friends and relatives can come over to offer their prayers to the deceased.
However, not only for funerals, Mexican culture celebrates death by organizing a world-famous festival known as Dรญa de los Muertos. It is organized on 1st November for kids and 2nd November for adults. People visit the graves of their loved ones and present them with their favorite foods or drinks. Itโs a great way to remember the loved ones who are no longer between us once a year. However, people who donโt go to the graves, organize a commemoration on their homes.
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3. Hinduism and Buddhism
Hindus and Buddhist people perceive death in quite a similar way, however, there can be a difference between the rituals and traditions but share almost the same beliefs.
In both these religions, there is a profound belief in past lives and reincarnation, and according to Hindu mythology, this cycle goes on until oneโs soul becomes completely free of its sins and virtues, this way the soul becomes free and ready for heaven and it may not need to reincarnate on Earth again.
Further, the funeral is organized after 13 days of the death, during which the family gatherings are organized for people to come and offer their prayers in Hindus. Also, in Hinduism, they donโt bury the body, they burn it as according to their traditions, it is believed that souls get attached to the body as they lived inside them for a long time and hence they refuse to leave, by burning the bodies after death, souls can leave freely and easily.
As for Buddhism, they believe that souls donโt leave the body right after the death, so the deceased boduy must not be touched, moved, or disturbed for at least four hours of death. Nextly, death is not the end in Buddhims but the new beginning of the soul that starts on the 49th day after death. So, the wake in Buddhism takes place for 49 days.
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4. Nigerian Culture
The Nigerian culture allows people to extend the funeral event after the death. They can organize it after a week, month, and even an year later and their relatives and family can come and offer their prayers to the deceased during that time.
In Nigeria, there is a tradition of playing songs at funerals in some cases, however, it is done to show the hospitality towards the guests invited to the funeral. Yuroba people cover the deceased in white clothes and they prefer to bury the deceased right after their death. People mourn by sitting alongside the deceased. However, according to the traditional Nigerian culture, the wake takes place for 7 days and there is a tradition of two funerals.
Former Yuroba people used to bury the decease in their rooms, in which they previously lived, nonetheless, it may not be the case anymore for all Yuroba people.
5. Western Culture
Western culture follows quite a different way of perceiving death. Their beliefs, traditions, and rituals are extremely different from the Eastern cultures or various religions.
In the Western cultures, funeral rites can differ depending on culture and tradition, but one thing is the same in all the Western cultures, which is the motive of funeral that is to honor the deceased and itโs soul. They organize peaceful and respectful funerals. The corpse is taken away to the morgue right after the death. There is often an involvement of music, eulogies, and readings in the funeral rites.
Death is supposed to be a sign of mystery and fear in the Western cultures and black is the color associated with it. All people wear black in funerals and offer their prayers with white lilies as these are a symbol of grief and innocence of the sould in this culture.
People see death with different perceptions all over the world, their beliefs, religions, and traditions affect their views on death and so does it vary in each culture. In some culture, where death is associated with new beginnings, it is also linked with frightening and suspense in other cultures.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team