In health we have been learning about death, dying and afterlife. We learnt many things. One thing that I enjoyed was learning about what different cultures think happens after death. What happens after death is something that varies tremendously in various different cultures. Now that people view death more positively and openly there is much more insight and discussion about what people think happens after death. I will be researching different cultures and their views on death.
Islam
Muslim people mourn through rituals such as prayer, readings from the Qur’an and moments of private meditation. Sorrow and tears are expected however loud wails and crying is considered disrespectful because it shows a weakness of faith. Muslim also don’t get cremated because if you burn the body you also burn the soul and then you won’t go on to live another life. There are also different ways someone can mourn depending on the relationship that someone had with the person who died.
Maori
In Maori culture family and friends mourn by having something called a Tangi. The body will be taken to a Marae or sometimes a house where the family and friends will come and pay their respects. Thesis could sometimes go for a short amount of days. On the final day the body will then be taken to the Urupa being welcomed in with traditional songs, speeches and chants exchanged. The body is then buried. When you leave the Urupa you rinse your hands with a container of water to get rid of the Tapu.
Hindu
In Hindu culture they believe that once you die you will be reincarnated into another life, the soul lives on for many lifetimes until it finds its true nature. Each life you live the closer you get to Brahma who is the Hindu god. Your next incarnation will also depend on your actions in your past life , also called karma.
There are various different cultures and beliefs around death. Respecting other people’s cultures is so important because you don’t know just how much you might affect the person. Another way to look at it is to think about your culture and how you would feel if someone was to make fun of your culture. People’s culture goes way back to ancient history and can be a very sensitive, spiritual, important and sad time for people as well.
It is important to take care of all parts of your hauora while experiencing change, loss and grief so that you can thrive in your everyday life. Thriving means not only to survive but to be good at surviving. To be good at surviving you are making choices, hard decisions or doing things you don’t want to do to better your life. Whether that be working out, meditating, spending time outside, meeting up with friends and family, talking to someone about what’s on your mind, or simply just going outside and taking in all the pounds of nature and having you bare feet in the grass. If you don’t then you will be stuck in a cycle of sadness, numbness and anger.