Death as a Celebration

In modern society, most people now seem to be coming up with new ways to evade the ageing process. Treatments such as Botox Gloucester company http://doctorkate.co.uk/gloucestershire-botox-treatments/ all over the UK are helping people to keep that fresh faced look. But there are many cultures in the world for whom the opposite is true – old age and death itself are part of life, and are to be celebrated not hidden…

In Bali, a ceremony known as Ngaben is performed when someone dies, to give the dead a good send off on their road to the afterlife. Unlike our sombre funerals of the western world, these ceremonies are a much more uplifting affair. There is no crying – the people believe that they will be reunited soon enough, and the body is displayed in an open casket, and people are encouraged to visit, before the cremation of the deceased which is believed to assist the soul with reincarnation.

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The people of Ghana also celebrate death in a colourful way – by creating fantastic coffins. These are like works of art and often are used to display the deceased persons passions in life. In Ghana, they believe that the afterlife is similar to this one and by creating these coffins it is a way to please the dead and wish them well in their next life.

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One of the most famous celebrations of death is held in Mexico – Dia de Muertos or day of the dead is a well-known Mexican celebration of death. It is again, a light-hearted and fun occasion where people share food, tell stories and hold colourful parties to celebrate the lives of people who have passed on.