Cherokee funeral rites comprise a broad set of ceremonies and traditions centred around the burial of a deceased person which were, and partially continue to be, practiced by the Cherokee peoples.
Cherokee funeral rites comprise a broad set of ceremonies and traditions centred around the burial of a deceased person which were, and partially continue to be, practiced by the Cherokee peoples.
In some communities, when a father knew he would soon die he called for his children to gather around him and then gave them advice and knowledge to keep with them for the rest of their lives. When the father was about to die, the children would leave and only adult family members and a priest would stay with him. [1] In another tradition, if an individual knew they were near death they would walk as far away from the village as possible, lie down, and die. If they were later found by another community member, that individual would cover the body with rocks. [2]
Shamans were largely responsible for healing and medicine, so they tended to the sick before death and were deeply involved in the dying process. In addition to their healing abilities, shamans had deep knowledge of death and life which was believed to help them prevent death, aid individuals in their transition to death, and protect the dying person from dangerous spiritual figures and magic such as the Raven Mocker. In some communities, a vigil would be held starting just before death and continuing until the burial. [2] [3]
Bodies were prepared for burial immediately after death. [2] A close relative of the deceased would close the eyelids and clean the body with either water or a wash made by boiling willow root, both of which were considered purifying substances. [1] In communities where bodies were not buried nude, the body was dressed in “dead clothes,” which were prepared in early adulthood and stored until burial. [2]
Bodies were predominantly buried in the ground, however less commonly the Cherokee would lay their dead in caves. Burial practices varied depending on location, time, and the status of the deceased individual. In early Cherokee culture, following the tradition of the Mississipian civilization that preceded the Cherokee, when a chief died individuals who were close to him were killed and buried with him, including his wives and some of his servants. The purpose of this practice was to sever all of the chief’s ties to the physical world on earth so that he may freely enter the spirit world. In patriarchal settings, some members of a man’s immediate family would be sacrificed and buried with him. As the distribution of power between men and women became more equal and Cherokee social and power structures shifted towards a matrilineal and more matriarchal system, these customs of sacrifice became obsolete. Priests and spiritual advisors were honoured at their burial by the sacrifice of their slaves, who were impaled and situated in a circle around the priests' graves. This ensured the slaves would continue to watch over and care for the priest in death. [2]
The Cherokee mostly used shallow graves that were not much larger than the body. Bodies were often laid in the fetal position, possibly due to the belief that one should rest in death in the earth as they once rested within their mother. Most Cherokee were buried with items of personal importance. Excavations of burial sites at Garden Creek Mound in North Carolina have found items including pottery, metal and bone ornaments, shells, and ceramics. Hairpins, beads, and pendants have also been found in graves. [2] In some regions, shell masks have been found in many graves, mainly in those of men. These masks do not appear to have been worn during life and were likely made specifically to be buried with the individual. Markings of falcon eyes and thunderbolts indicate these masks may be spiritually related to the Thunderbird figure, who was a powerful warrior and aided humans in warfare and hunting. [4] These masks, along with other grave goods, are usually placed near the individual’s head. Food and water was often also buried with the body so as to provide the spirit with nourishment and energy as they travel to the spirit world. [2]
Each community had a priest who was responsible for burying the dead. Soon after death, the priest would come to the home of the deceased, where most deaths occurred. In some communities, it was most common for individuals to be buried under the floor in their home where they had died, under the hearth in the home, or outside near the home. In other communities, it was more common for individuals to be buried outside. In these cases, a male relative would help the priest move the body to where it would be interred. [1] The Cherokee commonly believed that if an individual died before sunrise, they should be buried before sundown, and if they died before sundown, they should be buried before sunrise. [2]
Bodies that were buried outside were covered with rocks and dirt, and then later covered by other dead bodies, which would also be covered with rocks, dirt, and other bodies. These piles of bodies would eventually form large burial mounds. New burial mounds were started when a priest died. [2] In some instances bodies were placed on an elevated, exposed surface and then covered with stones, creating stone heaps that were at least four to five feet high. [5]
The Cherokee traditionally observed a seven day period of mourning. Seven is a spiritually significant number to the Cherokee as it is believed to represent the highest degree of purity and sacredness. The number seven can be seen repeatedly across Cherokee culture, including in the number of clans, and in purifying rituals after death. [6] During the seven day mourning period, family members of the deceased were to remain solemn, never angering or creating tension, and only consumed simple and light food and drink. The intensity of the expression of grief was determined by the circumstances of the death. [1]
On the first night after the death, the family was invited to the town council house where they were greeted and consoled by other community members. Then, the family would either return home or stay while the community performed a solemn dance. [1]
On the morning of the fifth day of mourning, family members gathered around the priest who took a bird that had been killed by an arrow, plucked some feathers from it, and cut a small piece of meat from its right breast. He would then pray and throw the meat into fire. [1]
On the final two days of mourning, family members and other mourners spent their morning at the water immersing themselves and then went to the grave site where the women would cry and wail to express their grief. [1]
While the women mourned at the grave on the last two days of the mourning period, the Chief Priest sent hunters to bring meat which the family, assisted by relatives and community members, would prepare for a community feast on the seventh night of mourning. [1] In some communities, this feast would happen before burial and the body would be laid out. The food that is buried with the body comes from this feast. [2]
When an individual died, their surviving family and everything in their home was considered unclean. Personal belongings that were not buried with the deceased were often burned at the grave site. Fire is sacred to the Cherokee and after a death, it is used to purify the uncleanliness that remains. [6] A priest would perform a ritual to cleanse the house and the hearth soon after death. He would then kindle a new fire and place his medicine pot filled with water on it. In the pot, he would boil a tea and give it to the family, who would purify themselves by drinking and washing themselves in it. The priest would also smoke inside the home and burn a fire with cedar boughs and purifying weeds. Lastly, he would take the unclean family members to a river or creek, where they would enter the water, turn between facing east and west, and immerse themselves seven times. After leaving the water, they would put on new clothes and return to their home clean. [1]
In the present day, many traditional Cherokee funeral traditions persist. Cherokee communities often continue to hold community feasts where they grieve and celebrate the life they have lost; to practice vigil prayers to help the deceased’s spirit find its way to the spirit world; and to bury individuals with valued personal belongings. Some traditions are still culturally important to Cherokee communities however they are limited by laws of the settler state. For example, many American states do not permit spiritual advisors to remain with the body from death until burial. [2]
A large percentage of Cherokee individuals today are Christians and engage in Christian funeral practices. These funerals usually do not contain elements of traditional Cherokee funeral practices, however in many cases they are held in both English and Cherokee languages. Additionally, it is common in Christian Cherokee communities for burial to happen on the deceased’s homestead instead of at a cemetery. [2]
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect the dead, from interment, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor. Customs vary between cultures and religious groups. Funerals have both normative and legal components. Common secular motivations for funerals include mourning the deceased, celebrating their life, and offering support and sympathy to the bereaved; additionally, funerals may have religious aspects that are intended to help the soul of the deceased reach the afterlife, resurrection or reincarnation.
The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors. Certain sects and religions, in particular the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church, venerate saints as intercessors with God; the latter also believes in prayer for departed souls in Purgatory. Other religious groups, however, consider veneration of the dead to be idolatry and a sin.
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objects in it, and covering it over. A funeral is a ceremony that accompanies the final disposition. Humans have been burying their dead since shortly after the origin of the species. Burial is often seen as indicating respect for the dead. It has been used to prevent the odor of decay, to give family members closure and prevent them from witnessing the decomposition of their loved ones, and in many cultures it has been seen as a necessary step for the deceased to enter the afterlife or to give back to the cycle of life.
Mourning is the expression of an experience that is the consequence of an event in life involving loss, causing grief, occurring as a result of someone's death, specifically someone who was loved although loss from death is not exclusively the cause of all experience of grief.
The majority of funerals in Japan include a wake, the cremation of the deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service. According to 2007 statistics, 99.81% of deceased Japanese are cremated.
The term Chevra kadisha gained its modern sense of "burial society" in the nineteenth century. It is an organization of Jewish men and women who see to it that the bodies of deceased Jews are prepared for burial according to Jewish tradition and are protected from desecration, willful or not, until burial. Two of the main requirements are the showing of proper respect for a corpse, and the ritual cleansing of the body and subsequent dressing for burial. It is usually referred to as a burial society in English.
The ancient Egyptians had an elaborate set of funerary practices that they believed were necessary to ensure their immortality after death. These rituals included mummifying the body, casting magic spells, and burials with specific grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife.
Roman funerary practices include the Ancient Romans' religious rituals concerning funerals, cremations, and burials. They were part of time-hallowed tradition, the unwritten code from which Romans derived their social norms. Elite funeral rites, especially processions and public eulogies, gave the family opportunity to publicly celebrate the life and deeds of the deceased, their ancestors, and the family's standing in the community. Sometimes the political elite gave costly public feasts, games and popular entertainments after family funerals, to honour the departed and to maintain their own public profile and reputation for generosity. The Roman gladiator games began as funeral gifts for the deceased in high status families.
Bereavement in Judaism is a combination of minhag and mitzvah derived from the Torah and Judaism's classical rabbinic texts. The details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community.
In death customs, a viewing is the time that family and friends come to see the deceased before the funeral, once the body has been prepared by a funeral home. It is generally recommended that a body first be embalmed to create the best possible presentation of the deceased. A viewing may take place at the funeral parlor, in a family home or at a place of worship, such as a church. Some cultures, such as the Māori of New Zealand, often take the body to the marae or tribal community hall.
A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person with specifically Christian rites; typically, in consecrated ground. Until recent times Christians generally objected to cremation because it interfered with the concept of the resurrection of a corpse, and practiced inhumation almost exclusively. Today this opposition has all but vanished among Protestants and Catholics alike, and this is rapidly becoming more common, although Eastern Orthodox Churches still mostly forbid cremation.
Hmong people have a culture built on animistic beliefs and a strong faith that after death the soul reincarnates as one of many forms such as humans, plants, rocks and ghosts. Death is often considered the most important time for practicing rituals in the Hmong community because without practicing the necessary rituals the soul will roam for eternity. Hmong culture has been around for thousands of years and some of the rituals have slightly changed due to immigration and urbanization. Throughout time rituals have always varied from tribe to tribe therefore there is no one-way of performing the pre-funeral rituals, the burial rituals and the post burial rituals. However, the differences are minor and are aimed at achieving the same goal of reincarnation.
Chinese ancestor veneration, also called Chinese ancestor worship, is an aspect of the Chinese traditional religion which revolves around the ritual celebration of the deified ancestors and tutelary deities of people with the same surname organised into lineage societies in ancestral shrines. Ancestors, their ghosts, or spirits, and gods are considered part of "this world". They are neither supernatural nor transcendent in the sense of being beyond nature. The ancestors are humans who have become godly beings, beings who keep their individual identities. For this reason, Chinese religion is founded on veneration of ancestors. Ancestors are believed to be a means of connection to the supreme power of Tian as they are considered embodiments or reproducers of the creative order of Heaven. It is a major aspect of Han Chinese religion, but the custom has also spread to ethnic minority groups.
A funeral procession is a procession, usually in motor vehicles or by foot, from a funeral home or place of worship to the cemetery or crematorium. In earlier times the deceased was typically carried by male family members on a bier or in a coffin to the final resting place. This practice has shifted over time toward transporting the deceased in a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles. The transition from the procession by foot to procession by car can be attributed to two main factors; the switch to burying or cremating the body at locations far from the funeral site and mainly the introduction of motorized vehicles and public transportation making processions by foot through the street no longer practical.
During the Pre-Hispanic period the early Filipinos believed in a concept of life after death. This belief, which stemmed from indigenous ancestral veneration and was strengthened by strong family and community relations within tribes, prompted the Filipinos to create burial customs to honor the dead through prayers and rituals. Due to different cultures from various regions of the Philippines, many different burial practices have emerged. For example, the Manobos buried their dead in trees, the Ifugaos seated the corpse on a chari before it was brought to a cave and buried elsewhere. The most common forms of traditional burials are supine pits, earthenware jars, and log coffins, and have been a topic of interest among Philippine archaeologists since the early 20th century.
Ancient Greek funerary practices are attested widely in the literature, the archaeological record, and in ancient Greek art. Finds associated with burials are an important source for ancient Greek culture, though Greek funerals are not as well documented as those of the ancient Romans.
A Korean traditional funeral features Korean Confucianism as well as centuries of indigenous Shamanism. Numerous anthropological scholars have attempted to discern which practices come from Shamanistic roots, and which are more purely Confucian.
Death in 19th-century Mormonism involved several unique religious rituals, cultural customs, and eschatological beliefs. In the years of the Church of Christ and, later, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, death played a prominent role in the lives of members due to various diseases, forced removal from settlements, the harsh nature of life on the American frontier, and the lack of medical knowledge at the time. Mormon mortality rates climbed through most of the century until a permanent settlement in Utah Territory was established and advances in medical science were made. Before these improvements, the commonality of death in Latter-day Saint communities produced a distinct culture surrounding the death of a member of the community. The dying were either blessed to be healed or to be received into heaven, depending on the person's wishes. A phenomenon known as the "beautiful death" set forth traditions such as family and friends gathering around a person's deathbed to witness their transition into the next life. Nineteenth-century Latter-day Saints came to terms with the frequent deaths of loved ones – especially those of infants and children – by turning to the teachings offered by their religion.
Upiór is a demonic being from Slavic folklore, a prototype of the vampire.