Funeral traditions and rituals: interesting facts

When thinking about burial, most of the traditions common in our latitudes come to mind, such as laying the deceased in the lap of the earth according to Christian customs or using cremation, which is gaining more and more popularity. However, in many parts of the world, funerals are practiced in which the burial of the deceased is completely different.
Check out some of the weirdest funeral traditions and rituals in this article!

Famadihana tradition – dancing with the dead

A very colorful tradition called Famadihana is popular in Madagascar. During it, the deceased is taken out of the tomb and, as the music plays, those left in the sun dance to the rhythms of the dead with the dead above their heads. The clothing of the dead is also changed and the name of the departed is written over it so that they will never be forgotten. Generally, the Famadihana tradition is practiced once in five to seven years.

In the United States (and beyond), funeral services tend to become increasingly common greener

Ecology is an increasingly relevant topic today for many reasons. This aspect also affects funerals, with more and more people opting for a more environmentally friendly burial. The options are many and varied, from woven willow coffins that decompose organically in the ground to using cremated ashes to make concrete reef balls that will help improve the sea and ocean environment for many, many years to come.

In South Korea, beads are made from the ashes of the departed

South Korean law dictates that buried bodies must be exhumed after 60 years, so cremation is very often used. But instead of scattering the ashes or keeping them in an urn, South Koreans like to make colorful, shiny beads in black, pink or blue-green from the ashes of the departed, which are then decorated in the home.

In the Philippines, coffins are placed high on cliffs

In the Sagada region of the Philippines, burials have been taking place on high cliffs for thousands of years, where the coffins of the dead are placed. The explanation for this behavior is that the higher the deceased’s body is, the easier its path to paradise will be.

Flowers and candles used to have a much more practical function

For many years, funerals are almost unimaginable without candles and flowers. However, if today these attributes have a symbolic meaning, in the past their main function was completely different, namely to mask unpleasant aromas. Needless to say, as the funeral industry has evolved, there is no need to worry about this aspect anymore, but we still see flowers and candles at funerals.

In the Victorian era, clocks were stopped when a loved one passed away

During the Victorian era, which lasted from June 20, 1837 to January 22, 1901, it was a common ritual to stop the clocks in the room or house where a person died. Close people did this to relive failures, and it also symbolized the transition of a loved one to a new life in which time does not exist. This was usually done along with covering the mirrors, closing the curtains and turning the portraits of the departed to the other side.

In 1829, the safety coffin was created

Johann Gottfried Taberger (Johann Gottfried Taberger) in 1829 developed a safety coffin (safety coffin). With the help of a bell, which in turn was connected to the ropes that were at the hands, feet and head of the deceased, it could alert the cemetery staff that the buried person was still alive.

Ritus we offer funeral services, respecting everyone’s wishes

No matter what kind of funeral you wish to have for the departed, the funeral home will help you through this difficult time Ritus. Its branches are located in Valmiera, Mazsalac, Alūksne, Balvo, Gulbene, Cēsis, Rūjien, Madon and Smilten, so the company organizes funerals throughout Latvia, especially in Vidzeme. You will find the contact information of each branch Ritus section of the homepage contacts.