Funerals

Nigerian Funerals by Phoebe Allebach

FACTS:


 * Death is considered a transition, not an end.
 * Reincarnation, a belief that the soul comes back to the earth in another form, is a concept of death believed by the Ibos, Yoruba and the Hausa.
 * Some Nigerian societies believe in another world where ancestors dwell and continue completing daily tasks.
 * There is a belief that the more music and dancing at the funeral, the better afterlife for the dead person.
 * Some believe that their dead family member will come back in the mother or sister's family.
 * In depth ceromonies take place before the burial if the person was disabled. For example, if a person was blind, he may have salve made from special leaves placed over his eyes. If a woman was infertile, she may have her abdomen cut open.
 * All Nigerians bury their dead because of the belief that the body should return to the earth that had sustained his/her life while living.
 * Different religions have different traditions. For example, Muslim Nigerians position the heads of the dead towards Mecca, the holy city in Saudi Arabia.
 * Others position the head facing towards the east at the rising sun. A woman's head is turned towards the west so she can see the sunset and know when to prepare dinner in the afterlife.
 * Some bodies are covered with black earth so that the red earth does not give the skin blemishes.
 * The position on the social scale determines the size of the funeral.
 * Men put aside money to ensure a successful funeral. Women and children to not do this, so their funerals are not as elaborate.
 * Funerals vary according to group. For example, a funeral at Kalabria of Eastern Nigeria, every adult receives an Ede funeral unless they died of witchcraft, drowning or at childbirth.
 * An Ede funeral consists of laying the body in state and dressing the chieft mourners.
 * The dead are buried a day after they die
 * If an old person dies, a week of mourning takes place.
 * Those who practice Christianity are taken to the church for funeral rites before taken to the cemetary.

This is a photograph of women dressed up at a funeral in celebration of the person's death. Men are preparing for the funeral by digging the place for the dead body in this photograph.

This photo shows the dancing, colorful uniform and music that takes place at many funerals in Nigeria. Citation: 1st picture: [] 2nd Picture: [] 3rd Picture: [] Information: []