When you picture a funeral or wake, you don’t often expect much joy to come from the situation. There is a lot that is sad, most notably the loss of a loved one. The loss of life that is expected to be mourned may not seem joyous, but there is a major difference between a wake and a funeral.
Funerals are the mourning and grieving period, where most often, a wake is an informal celebration of some sort that is meant to commemorate the life of the deceased. The act of the wake is celebrated across numerous countries, continents, and cultures. Here are some of the ways that wakes are done differently around the world.
Australia
The Oceanic country of Australia has a lot of ties to the U.K., but it celebrates wakes much differently because they are not a predominantly protestant or religious country. Many Australians prefer to consider themselves non-religious, and the process of having a celebration of life rather than a mourning event is quite common. According to a Perth based funeral director, the common wake in Australia is not unlike many other Western countries. There isn’t a heavy emphasis on religion, and the event is more personal, not spiritual.
Europe/U.K.
Europe, in particular Poland, is more religious in certain areas like the Baltics and Eastern regions, so there is a bigger emphasis on religion. Polish tradition is to open the windows of the house to allow the spirit to find the afterlife, while mirrors are covered as well. In the U.K., where there is a strong protestant and catholic population (Ireland, Scotland), wakes were vigils held throughout the night where families remained awake to watch over the spirit of the dead for the burial. This is likely where the original notion of the wake came from.
Latin America
Latin America is well known for its celebrations of the dead, like the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Brazil, Peru, and Colombia all have very similar celebrations, and the most common theme for their wakes and funerals is to attend the households of family members where coffins would often be present of the deceased. Their mantra for celebrating the life of the dead is by going extravagant and truly celebrating to honor the deceased and preserve the essence of life, even in the face of passing.
Africa
In Africa, funerals and wakes are more than just a family event because there is great pride in the sociocultural bond of an entire village or town. In places like Ghana and Nigeria, it is not uncommon for family members to adorn themselves in fabulous get-ups and go all out in making the funeral and celebration known to as many as possible. With entertainment, personalized and decorate coffins, and lavish parties, the strength of a community is important for the celebration of the deceased in African cultures.
Middle East
The Middle East is heavily Islamic, which means their funerals, wakes, burial traditions, and other celebrations and mourning periods adhere to Islamic tradition or law. As they do when praying towards Mecca, they bury the dead facing towards Mecca as well as part of the belief that this will grant them spiritual relief for the afterlife. Their burial process also begins as quickly as can be, and cremation is often shunned for the dead. Similarly, the process after burial is long, with each day representing a new type of action (3rd day is for the memorial service, etc.)
Asia
Many of the Northern Asian countries are also steeped in old religious and spiritual traditions, like Buddhism or Taoism. This translates to the importance of honoring the dead in China, South Korea, and Japan, who share common practices like lighting lanterns or flying kites. In all of these countries, it is a common activity for people to visit and clean the graves of the deceased as a sign of respect, and in South Korea, food is an important process in the mourning period where they set out a feast and wait their turn for after the deceased spirits. There are striking differences in these cultures, but many of their shared rituals for the dead are similar.
Around the world, cultures, and countries celebrate in different ways. Some are highly religious or spiritual in nature, while others are more relevant to the individual, rather than tradition. Regardless, there is much to learn and understand about how people celebrate wakes, funerals, mourn, or celebrate the loss of loved ones and the loss of others in general. Visit here for more information.
