Meanings of Death-Multicultural Aspects
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Ancients books that gave precise guidelines for the dying. Used by such ancient cultures as the Egyptians, Hindu, and Moslem. The Egyptian books, for example, included such things as prayers, hymns, and descriptions of the afterlife ("Fields of Peace").

Dog Soldiers

Warrior among Indians in the American Plains who drove their lances (to which they were attached by rope) into the ground, determined to defend the piece of land they could reach to the death.

Gamab

The god of life and death to the Haukoin people in southern Africa

Hara-kiri

Ritual suicide under Bushido, the Japanese samurai code, that involves disembowelment of one's self.  The abdomen was cut horizontally, a vertical thrust was made, and a friend provided decapitation. 

Surface Burial

Native American burial method under logs or rocks

Suttee

The act of a woman placing herself on her husband's pyre, or the woman who commits such an act.  It was made illegal in Britain in 1829.

Onwu Chi

A good death according to African culture is to die of old age and could be the result of a clean disease. A bad death, by comparison, can occur from violent accidents and death by suicide or death by unclean diseases such as leprosy or epilepsy.

Bono of Ghana (African)

The sex of the deceased influences how they are often laid in the tomb in African rituals. For the Bono of Ghana a man is laid facing east so he can rise up and go to the farm and a woman is laid facing west so she can get up and begin cooking the evening meal.

Ghaflan

According to Islamic culture death comes ghaflan, or when you�re "not paying attention." Because of the enormous amount of disease in these countries death is often swift.

Nirvana

In Buddhaist rituals Nirvana is the freedom, or escape, of rebirth. It is their final goal.

Zempasuchitl

It was held by the Aztecs that marigolds (zempasuchitl) were associated with death. It was used to decorate the graves and is still used that way in Mexico. They are used today to draw figures and write out names with them.

Day of the Dead

A celebration of death.

Oct 31 is All Hallow�s Eve or Halloween

Nov 1 is All Saint�s Day

Nov 2 is All Soul�s Day

Tus Qhuab Ke (Guide to the Spirit World)

According to Hmong customs they have three funeral helpers. The first is the Guide to the Spirit World (Tus Qhuab Ke). Any man who has memorized the Qhuab Ke text can be this guide. They must recite the text so that the deceased knows that he/she is dead. It is the first major step for the soul. The other two helpers are the Reed Pipe Player and Drummer and the Descendant Counselor.

Wanagi Yuha

In some Native American cultures they hold a major religious ceremony called the Wanagi Yuha (retaining the person�s spirit). In this ceremony the family takes a small portion of the deceased's hair and keeps it someone where in the home for the next year of mourning. They address this piece of hair as if it is the deceased.

Kavod Hamet

This is a Jewish tradition of honoring the dead.

Nichum Avelim

This is a Jewish tradition of comforting the mourners

Bardo

The Tibetan Book of the Dead contains instructions that are read to the dying and/or dead person so they know how to make it through the transition (bardo) between life forms.