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| Africa :::::::::: Egypt Funerals in this predominantly Muslim nation begin with the ceremonial washing and bathing of the body, which is sprinkled with fragrance and then wrapped in green or white cotton. Often wailing women are hired for the funeral procession, which takes the body to the mosque where the ceremony is conducted. After the ceremony the deceased is taken to the community cemetery where it is buried with the head facing Mecca. In the cemetery woman are buried in separate sections. Interestingly, near the Muqattam Dune there is a huge town of the dead (a necropolis) throughout which there are various mausoleums and tombstones. Many of these mausoleums are equipped with full amenities and living spaces for visiting families. The actual graves inside these mausoleums are encircled with a brick or iron fence housed in a grave room roughly a meter and half deep and connected to the ground level rooms by stairs. Ghana In this sub-Saharan African nation, funerals are important rituals and are colorful events that reflect Africa's most powerful traditions and beliefs. At funeral ceremonies children of the deceased are bequeathed with new parents while mourners hold long conversations with the deceased. Funerals are so integral to many traditions, so even the poorest families will drum up enough money to ensure that the deceased receives a proper farewell. It is not unusual for a funeral to cost more than 50 million cedis (about $7,000 USD), but, according to many, it is worth it for "death happens only once in a lifetime." Given the unfortunate level of the death rate in Ghana, it is ironic that funerals are anything but ordinary events. In fact, funerals are seen as a celebration in many cultures. The night before the funeral begins a 24-hour-a-day cooking cycle begins. This cycle will span the entire five days of the funeral, with women preparing food for six meals, some for more than a thousand people. During the ceremony itself, enamel bowls filled with cotton, soap, sponges, razors, talcum, camphor, a drinking cup, a spoon, a white T-shirt and two pieces of fabric are often used to ceremoniously wash the body in a cleansing ritual. At the cemetery, prior to burial it is not uncommon for mourners to say, "May your ancestors receive you. May your mother and father receive you in peace." Cameroon The main cities in Cameroon are a mix of Islam, Christianity and native traditions, but in the remote areas traditional native funerals are still practiced. After the family announces the death with drumbeats, the funeral can begin. These events can last up to a week, during which time men wear masks and dance. In preparation for the funeral ceremony, the body is dressed in black and blindfolded while the chief mourner wraps a white piece of cloth around his hip and accepts condolences from friends. Often, people will gather in the yard of the deceased and cry out 'Ai, ya, a" while dancing and holding a sword or large sticks and stones. It is not uncommon for some females to roll on the ground and scream "Ah-a" or "Aha-aba." After the ceremony, the skull-less body is then buried in a mound while the skull is placed beneath the family home. It is then sometimes dug up and offered food. Botswana When someone dies among the aboriginal peoples of this southern African nation, traditional beliefs are still observed. It is believed that death can hold both supernatural and natural causes. Even given the ravaging affects of HIV on this poor nation, funerals are still elaborate and expensive affairs, and can often last up to a week. During the funeral many livestock are slaughtered to feed to the mourners. The men in traditional Botswana societies are typically buried in their cattle kraals, women in compounds and children in their houses. Among many native Botswana cultures it is believed that those who die with regrets become ghosts, who will remain in the grave by day and then return at night to haunt the living. |