The Celebration of death

There are many ways that death is celebrated around the world. Some view it as something to hide away from and not to be talked about, while others revel in the life of the person who has died. For some there is a strong organised religious connection and for some the spirituality is based more on the soul of the departed rather than an assigned religious ideal.

Most every country has its own beliefs and traditions and in the past, the citizens of those countries were brought up with only those beliefs. But, as the world has grown and progressed we have become a global network of shared ideas and beliefs.  Nowadays, people learn so much about other ways of dealing with death and a lot of people are embracing this information and finding their own path of beliefs.

Every country has its own name for the festivals to honor the dead. To list just a very few, In Mexico there is the well-known “Dia del los Muertos”; in Hati there is the “Fet Gede”; in Cambodia there is “Pchum Ben”; in Madagascar there is “Famadihana” and in the western world there is the tradition of Halloween/All Souls Day.

Each of these holidays/festivals are deeply rooted in tradition and custom. Some, like Dia del los Muertos, have become accepted almost everywhere in the world as more of a party excuse rather than honoring the departed. While it is good to enjoy other countries traditions, we must be sure to explore more into the true meanings and rituals of these beliefs so that we can be respectful in our adaptations.

In future blog posts I will endeavor to share some information on these different celebrations. A well informed mind is one that can see the world freely and is accepting of all within.