Funerary Rites of The Aged in Africa: An Occasion For Melancholy or Merry Making?

The passing away of deceased friends and family members is usually seen as a heavy blow to bereaved families. Sometimes, the death of a certain individual is viewed as creating a huge vacuum for the family, society or even an entire nation. Such is the case of distinguished personalities whose unparalleled contributions to society or nation building and iconic examples of society living worth imitating are forever etched on the hearts of countless people. However, it is said in Africa that 'everyone is a royal in his/her family or community'. Thus, the death of every person in the African community is equally important. When news breaks that someone has passed on, the mood expressed by members of the society varies greatly based on the age of the deceased and the circumstances that resulted in his/her death. This is largely informed by the culture and belief systems of Africans.

The death of an elderly member of the society who has attained a considerable number of years, mostly above seventy years through one hundred years and beyond is said to be a blessing from the Supreme Being, the spirits, and the ancestors. However, the deceased old folk must have died a natural death, probably through his/her sleep or after a very short illness. The old person must have led a well fulfilled and satisfying life, full of all his/her accomplishments. The news of the death of such a member of the society is received with a mixed feeling of melancholy and happiness. The feeling of sadness is as a result of the vacuum and great loss the deceased will create in the family which is sometimes seen as irreplaceable. Usually, these old sages in the society are seen as an oasis of wisdom and experience. As such, they are consulted before difficult decisions that would affect the shape of the entire society and its development is taken and implemented. Even when such ones are bedridden or mute as a result of old age, their views are solicited through various means such as via miming and gestures. Their indispensable assistance in society affairs is expressed in one of the ancient maxims of the Asantes of Ghana 'Woe unto family or community without an elderly member.' Thus, when they are no more, society grieves for the great loss. As such, members of the society mourn or weep the departed old folk. People clad themselves in black clothes and attires during the funerary observance of the aged members to depict the melancholy state of the entire society.

On the other hand, the funerary rites of the deceased old folk are coupled with limited merry-making activities. This may be in the form of drumming, singing, dancing and feasting amongst society members and other attendees. This is culturally acceptable because it is believed among Africans that old age is a sign of approval and a seal of a deceased member of the society to attain the great honor of being an ancestor. This ancestorship rank comes along with a spiritual body and power as rewards from the Supreme Deity. Thus, the death of the deceased old member is seen as a safe and glorious passage from the physical world to the metaphysical world of spirits. It is even believed that during the final burial ceremony, some ancestors are dispatched to come for the deceased and carry him/her safely to their perpetual dwelling-place of high prestige. Society members rejoice with the deceased elderly member of the honor bestowed on him/her by the already departed ancestors and the Supreme Deity. Therefore, some attendees and family members wear white clothes and attire to symbolically reflect the joy the deceased is believed to equally express.

Therefore, the funerary commemoration of an elderly or aged member of the society is partly of melancholy and partly of merrymaking. This explains the reason why those who wear funeral apparel of black and white colors are allowed to attend the funeral rites due to the symbolic connotations of sadness and joy it carries. Indeed, the mortuary rites of the aged members of the African societies are of mixed feelings-moments of melancholy and periods of merrymaking.

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 By Dickson Adom


Article Source: Funerary Rites of The Aged in Africa: An Occasion For Melancholy or Merry Making?