Month: October 2014

Funeral Rites of the South Pacific

Many of the islands of the Pacific have maintained a strong connection to their cultural religious beliefs, despite the historical influence of many Christian missions. In Papua New Guinea, when a death occurs, a medium is called in to determine the cause or to identify the sorcerer or witch who may have been involved. Rituals are performed to assist in releasing the spirit of the deceased, and spirits are encouraged to stay near the family.  Relatives express their sorrow through wailing, chopping off a finger, pulling out facial hair, shaving their heads or extracting their teeth. Though burial is common ... Read more

Vulgar Parrots and Firing Ashes into Space: Surprising Last Rites

Everyone hopes that their funeral will go to plan, but sometimes that just isn’t the case. Take Andrew Jackson, for instance. The seventh president of the United States, Jackson was known for his cutthroat politics and nasty language. His vulgarity had an impact on his parrot, Poll, who was such a close companion of Jackson’s that he asked the parrot to attend his funeral in 1845. Unfortunately, the parrot swore so much throughout the ceremony that he had to be removed. One mourner, Rev William Norment, said the parrot had been incited by the loud sobs of Jackson’s slaves and ... Read more

The Bizarre and Wonderful: Unusual Caskets

Not many have heard of a cardboard coffin, and still fewer realize that they’re taking the world of the modern funeral – particularly amongst the rich and famous – by storm.  Coronation Street’s Hayley Cropper was laid to rest in a cardboard casket, but it’s hardly just fictional characters that are choosing this eco-friendly (if quickly deteriorating) material for their final resting place. 68-year-old actress Joanna Lumley, for one, wants to be buried in a cardboard coffin just as her parents were. “I love a cardboard coffin. Both Mummy and Daddy went off in cardboard coffins, painted – Daddy’s was ... Read more

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