Funerals and burial ceremonies are considered sacred affairs in the African community.
They are handled with a lot of care and sometimes fear. The dead are believed to have gone to heaven or a better resting place, even if their characters and actions were contrary to the moral teachings.
Their eulogies are written in the positive. In the course of their burial arrangements, there are certain happenings that are attributed to them.
When the hearse refuse to move: Sometimes the hearse transporting the body stalls in the middle of the road. It might be a mechanical problem but many theories have been weaved to explain this strange phenomenon.
Some say the dead does not want to go to the burial site. A few close relatives are instructed to “talk” to him to “plead” with him to allow the vehicle to move. Some say the dead is not happy with the occupants of the vehicle or the conversation they are having. The occupants therefore, stop talking in order to please him or her.
When the music stops: Most families organize night vigils for their dead one. Normally this is done a day or two before the actual day of burial. During these night vigils, music is always played and people actually dance.
When the music comes to a sudden stop, people come up with different theories in a bid to explain why the music stopped. It might have been a fault in the connecting wires or the generator ran out of fuel but many people believe that it is the dead who is responsible. Some say the dead does not want the music to be played.
When the animal to be slaughtered disappear: Food is a major component of a good send-off. A burial ceremony without food is considered as a disrespect for the dead.
Most families therefore, invest heavily on food. They slaughter many chickens, goats and cows. Sometimes, the chicken marked to be slaughtered disappear and people do not take it lightly.
They believe the dead made it to disappear maybe because it was small or not good enough. Or a goat to be slaughtered may run away and disappear, only to re-appear a few days later. This is also attributed to be the dead man’s actions.
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