The Weirdest Funeral Traditions From Around The World

3 years ago

1. Papua New Guinea - Eating The Dead

Image source TripfreakzYears ago, cannibalism within small tribes was more more prevalent although it does still go on today. Melanesians of Papua New Guinea as well as the Wari people of Brazil would eat the dead, the reason being to dispel the fear and mystery surrounding the concept of death. It is still a practice carried out by the Yanomami people.

2. Madagascar - Turning Of The Bones

Image source PinimgUnless there is a specific, serious reason to exhume a dead body, it's against the law to do so. However, the Malagasy people of Madagascar do exactly this, every 7 years. They wrap the corpse in cloth and dance with it. The corpse is sprayed with wine to deal with the smell and the family reminisce about past events.

3. Tibet - Bodies For Birds

Image source BPblogMany Tibetans, especially Buddhists, were known to cut the dead body into pieces and leave the chunks (!) at the top of a hill for the birds to eat. Buddhists believe that dead bodies are empty vessels and it is an act of charity and compassion to carry out this ritual. I usually put out stale bread for the birds!

4. Taiwan - Stripper Celebrations

Image source InsiderAfter a funeral, the wake can be quite an uplifting 'send off' for the deceased. It's about celebrating their life and having a drink too many. Taiwanese funerals can cost tens of thousands of dollars and include exotic dancers (posh name for strippers) who dance at the graveside, strobe lighting and blaring music. Sounds like holiday entertainment in Cancun! Apparently, it shows the disposable wealth of the deceased's family and they want to show off.

5. Ghana - Fantasy Coffin

Image source ggphtIt has to be said that when we all reach that point where we take our last breath, our final resting place will be in a plain wooden coffin, People in Ghana request that they are buried in something that represents their lives. These include fish for fisherman, a plane for pilots and a Mercedes for a businessman!

6. Papua New Guinea - Finger Amputation

Image source PinimgAmong the Dani People of Papua New Guinea, the death of a loved one meant that any women and children related to the deceased knew that drastic measures were to follow. As was tradition, they each had to have at least one finger chopped off, to drive away spirits. No anaesthetic was administered so you won't be surprised to hear that this has now been banned.

7. South Korea - Burial Beads

Image source mysendoffIt's quite common, even in the US, to have a keepsake made of a deceased loved one, maybe a piece of jewellery adapted into a necklace so you can wear it and keep their memory alive. In South Korea, they go one step further and compress the remains of the dead person to make coloured beads and they then display them at home. Unusual but if it helps the grieving process then why not.

8. New Orleans - Jazz Burial

Image source SquarespaceWith big brass band culture being at the heart of New Orleans, it's no surprise that they play music even in death. The funeral procession is led by a big horn band, which plays sad tunes to start with and then follows with upbeat jazz and blues and a lot of fast dancing.

9. Philippines - Blindfolded Funeral

Image source FramepoolThe Benguet tribe of North Western Philippines have an unusual way of dealing with a body before the funeral takes place. So that the deceased doesn't suffer (they won't because they are already dead), a blindfold is tied around the eyes and they are placed next to the main entrance of the house.

10. Manila - Tree Burial

Image source MoneyandshitThe Caviteño people, who live just outside Manila, fast track their way past the coffin stage. They don't even bother digging a grave in the ground. Instead they hollow out a tree trunk that the dead person will have already selected and put them in there. The reasoning behind it is that the deceased will live on in a growing tree.

11. Philippines - Kitchen Burial

Image source StaticflikrMany of us tend to over-clutter our kitchen. There's always a drawer that hardly opens which is packed with useless papers and objects that will never see the light of day again but we keep them 'just in case'. The Apayo tribe who live in the North Philippines, bury their dead under the kitchen floor. It's so they can think about them while they're cooking family meals. Makes good sense!

12. Iran - Vulture Funeral

Image source tumblrWarning - read this after eating or you'll be put off your food big time. The corpse is washed with bull urine, then visited by a holy dog, or 'Sagdid.' It is then placed at the top of a big tower and quickly devoured by vultures. These vultures seem to be enjoying their meal.

13. Philippines - Looking Alive

Image source tumblrWould there be any point in making a dead person look alive? The Tinguian people of the Philippines obviously think so as they dress the bodies in their Sunday best, sit them on a chair and place a lit cigarette in between their lips. Would that be a roll-up or tipped cigarette?

14. Philippines - Hanging of Coffins

Image source InsiderCoffins are almost always buried deep in the ground in a cemetery. Tell that to the Igorots who didn't get the memo. In a place called Sagada in the Philippines, coffins are hung on the cliffs. Igorots believe that the soul must be in the most solemn and peaceful place after death and it will be easier for the spirit to make its way to their god if hung this way.

15. Northwest Coast, Canada - Mortuary Totem Poles

Image source InsiderTotem poles usually tell stories of a peoples’ native culture but mortuary totem poles are different. with the Indigenous people. They are special kinds of poles that house the remains of chiefs, notable warriors, or shamans after their bodies were crushed with clubs. The icons found on each pole act as guardians and guide the spirit to the afterlife.

16. America - Memorial Reef

Image source PR NewswireWhilst you would half expect a person whose life involved being around the sea to have their ashes sprinkled into the deep waters, a company in the States has come up with an unusual process to deal with a dead person (and probably a good money maker for them as well). They compress the remains into a sphere shape and attach it to a reef in the ocean. The idea is that it provides a habitat for sea life. Whatever floats your boat!

17. Papua New Guinea - Smoke The Corpses

The Änga clan of Papua New Guinea's Menyamya region remains steeped in their own tradition. Set apart from the modern world, they live just like their ancestors did, going back generations. They prefer to preserve the dead body rather than allow it to decompose in the ground so use the practice of smoking it - I might be wrong but I don't think it's the same way as smoking mackerel or salmon!

18. New Orleans - Extreme Embalming

This is weird! A trend known as extreme embalming, is happening in places like Puerto Rico and New Orleans. The deceased gets propped up in poses to attend their own funeral. The practice started in Puerto Rico in 2014 when boxer, Christopher Rivera, got propped up in a fake ring.

19. Los Angeles - Drive-Thru Funerals

Image source Daily MailDrive-thru is a common practice when picking up a burger but in Los Angeles, Adams Funeral Home have a drive thru funeral business and it's really popular. It's cheaper than a normal funeral and much quicker which will suit many mourners who are unable to shell out a fortune for a funeral.

20. Cornwall - Charnel House For The Dead

Image source DreamstimeThere's Cornish folklore that's responsible for this bizarre burial custom. Apparently, a man accepted a bet to steal a skull from his parish's charnel house (a building used instead of a cemetery). When he picked up a de-fleshed skull, it apparently spoke to him and he got spooked out. It's thought that these charnel houses have the spirits visit them and many people wanted to bury their dead here for that reason.

21. Scandinavia -Viking Burials

Image source www.history.comViking funerals were very brutal to say the least. Apparently, Viking chieftains were temporarily buried while new funeral clothes were prepared. Wait for this - one of the chief's slave girls volunteers herself to join him in the afterlife but before she gets the chop, she has to have sex with every male in the settlement. She then boards a wooden ship which is set alight. Gosh and you think you've had a bad day!

22. America - Space Burial

Image source UPI

As with livestreaming funerals, which are becoming more and more popular, space burials are becoming quite the thing. Celestis was the first American company to carry out the first memorial space flight mission and blasted the remains of two dozen individuals including tar Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. It has since rocketed off a further 12 space burial missions.

23. Barcelona - Glass Case

Image source PinterestThe modern Altima funeral home in Barcelona is a stunning place and the 63 staff handle a quarter of all Barcelona deaths which amounts to about 12 bodies a day. The manicured grounds, white stone walls and espresso bar even boasts free Wi-Fi! The difference between this funeral home and a 'normal' one is that the bodies are displayed behind a glass window like Selfridges department store! The mourners rent the room according to how long they wish to stay there to pay their respects.

24. Cullowhee, North Carolina - Compost

Image source The Seattle TimesIf you're looking for a good quality compost for your prize roses then we might have the answer. In Cullowhee, mourners carry the dead person up a ramp built around a central core made of smooth concrete. When they reach the top, the body would be placed into a carbon rich mixture which would turn into a rich compost after 6 weeks.

25. Berlin, Germany - Lease For Body

Image source DW ImagesUnlike Britain, Germany do not buy burial plots - they rent them. This then applies to the actual body that has been buried there. Simply speaking, if the lease is for 15 years then the family of the deceased have to arrange to exhume the remains at that time and find somewhere else to bury their loved one. Sounds a bit stressful to me.

26. Netherlands - Clowns

Image source PBSIt's quite common for funeral etiquette to specify bright clothing to celebrate the life of the deceased. In the Netherlands, to make the funeral even more colourful, clowns are employed to squirt the mourners and make animal balloons. That's not all. One Dutch clown's party trick is to pretend to break wind at a solemn part of the ceremony. You have to laugh!

27. Johannesburg - High As A Kite

Image source Insider

Tupac Shakur's murder back in 1996 was a shock to millions of his fans. During his funeral a picnic was laid out by the graveside and some of the rapper's remains were mixed with marijuana and his family and friends all got stoned. They say it was to let their grief go up in smoke. 1

28. Ohio - Highway To Heaven

Apparently, there are a small minority of Ohio natives who are dressed up for their funeral and travel in the front seat of the hearse. Billy Standley was so obsessed with his 1967 Electra Glide cruiser that he spent the last few years of his life planning his burial on the motorcycle. He purchased 3 cemetery plots and designed a Plexiglass acrylic casket. It took 5 embalmers to prepare Standley for his final ride and they mounted his body on the bike, having dressed him in leather biking gear and a helmet! He led the procession to his own funeral.

29. Ancient England - Crossroads

Image source Vintage News In ancient England, suicide was seen as a crime and undeserving of a burial in a cemetery so the bodies of those who had taken their own lives were buried at the crossroads. The people of that time believed this would confuse the spirits of the dead and stop them returning to their home or village to haunt their families.

30. India - Burned Alive

Image source Culture Trip

Sati is thankfully one of the unusual funerals that is now illegal. It was an Indian funeral ritual where the Hindu widow lies next to her dead husband and is be burned alive on a funeral pyre. There were other versions of this which included drowning and being buried alive with the dead husband. No wonder it's now illegal!

31. USA - Eco Friendly Funerals

Image source Cradle to GraveThere's no doubt that burials and so many coffins and overcrowded tombstones are doing a number on the environment, so lots of people in modern American society are going for a more 'green' option. This includes chosen a biodegradable casket, made out of woven willow, which can decompose in the ground over time after burial.

32. Australia (Aboriginal) - Releasing The Spirit

Image source Gumaraa Aboriginal ExperienceThe Aborigines of Australia believe that after a person dies, their spirit is returned to the land before they are once again reborn. During a burial, they therefore do what they can to help this journey - starting with having a 'smoking ceremony' in the home of the deceased, so that the spirit will be driven away. The body is then placed on a platform outside and covered with leaves, left to decompose.

33. Mexico - Day Of The Dead

Image source The TennesseanThe Mexican tradition and celebration, Day of the Dead, is a well known custom, and mostly because it's a celebration of the dead rather than grieving. Mexicans believe that you shouldn't mourn the dead, and instead, once a year they return to this world. In celebration, Mexicans will set up altars and provide offerings, including food, drink and photos.

34. India - Avoid The Cycle Of Rebirth

Image source Antaryami.comThe Indians believe in the cycle of rebirth, but it's not something they necessarily want for their dead. Instead, they will have a ritual that enables the spirit of the dead to avoid rebirth and move on to Heaven instead. The ritual is called 'Moksha', where they scatter the ashes of the deceased in a sacred place in order for them to go to Heaven.

35. Sweden - Left In A Special Place

Image source AllmogensIn Sweden, there is a unique burial tradition where the body of the deceased is left in a special place for up to 3 weeks before they're officially buried. Not only that, but for the actual burial - where, in many countries, the more guests and loved ones the better - there is actually a focus on less guests for a more intimate burial, usually being only the closest family members.

36. Norway - Water Burial

Image source USA TodayIn Nordic regions, water is particularly embraced and respected, which is why it's an important part of burial customs. Some death rituals include coffins being placed on high cliffs, to coffins actually being buried beneath the water. Their rituals also include funeral ships where the bodies are placed on ships and pushed out into the ocean or along a river.

37. India - The Street Parades

Image source BBCThis custom sees the dead bodies actually paraded through the streets in a celebration. The body will be dressed in certain colours which have different meanings, including red for purity. The bodies then have water from the River Ganges poured onto them before being burned at the crematorium based in the town.

38. Philippines - Children Dressed In Red

Image source PinterestThis doesn't relate to the bodies of deceased children being dressed in red, but more the children attending funerals. It's a custom for children to wear red when they attend the funerals of passed loved ones because it's believed within the Cebuano people that wearing red will make it less likely the children will see ghosts.

39. Brazil - Endocannibalism

Image source The New RepublicAlthough it may sound barbaric to other cultures, the custom of eating the dead was actually a way of these people showing their respect. Known as endocannibalism, it's supposed to create a bond between the recently deceased and those still living, by eating their flesh. The custom, which was carried out by Wari people of Brazil, isn't carried out anymore, though.

40. China - Suspended Burials

Image source WikipediaThis burial ritual actually dates back to a group of Chinese people that no longer exist. They were known as the 'Bo' people, who lived in the Hemp Pond Valley, but they were wiped out by the Ming Dynasty. When they were alive, they practised the custom of suspended burials, which had wooden coffins hanging from a 300 foot rock face.

41. Indonesia - Aluk Todolo

Image source The New York TimesThe Torajans, an indigenous people in Indonesia, have a death ritual that relates to the 'Way of the Ancestors', also known as 'Aluk Todolo'. This sees the dead relative embalmed and then kept in the house of family members until a time when they can be buried. Sometimes, they can be waiting years to be buried. During the time they're waiting for a funeral, they're also referred to as 'unwell' rather than dead.

42. Sweden - A Specific Swedish Cemetery

Image source WikipediaIt's a custom in Sweden for every deceased person to be buried, and have a burial spot, and there are special rules about being buried, and where. There are certain sections in Swedish Church cemeteries for certain religions, especially those that are non-Christian, for them to still have access to burial in accordance with the law.

43. South Africa - Speaking To The Dead

Image source Daily SabahThe Zulu people of South Africa believe that the dead should have more respect because they are now closer to God. The rituals they carry out following the parting of a loved on include family members needing to talk to the deceased at their grave site. Incense is also usually burned at the site to ward off evil spirits.

44. Cambodia - Coffins Carried By Monks

Image source VoA CambodiaBuddhists in Cambodia believe that death is merely the end of one life cycle, rather then the end of life completely. They believe in more then one cycle of life, with the cycle being birth - adolescence - old age - death - reincarnation. They carry out very specific rituals in order to make sure the next stage of the cycle is complete. Monks can be seen carrying coffins.

45. India - Dokhmenashini

Image source eBaum's worldA certain population of people in India have a custom that uses birds of prey for their funeral rite. They believe corpses aren't pure because of the potential for evil spirits to latch onto the body, so they turn to birds of prey to dispose of the body in a quick way. They prefer this to burial in the ground, at sea or even cremation.

46. Worldwide - Livestreamed Funerals

Image source Poetic EndingsIt might not come as a surprise in this modern age of technology that funerals can be one of the things actually livestreamed around the world. It's actually become a custom in many countries to livestream funeral services and burials so that the friends or family members who can't physically attend the funeral can still witness it virtually.

47. Ireland - Curtains Pulled Over Mirrors

Image source My Real IrelandA burial ritual in Ireland, which was very popular until the mid 1900s but is now only carried out by certain Irish communities, includes a memorial to honor the dead. This includes all clocks being stopped at the time of death, before curtains are drawn over mirrors. This is supposed to prevent the soul from the leaving the body too soon. The body is then placed on a table for loved ones to visit and pay their respects.

48. India - Varanasi Death Parade

Image source Amateur TravelerIn Varanasi, India, it's a custom to get cremated in this very holy city. So much so that people even from other places of the world go to Varanasi in the hope that this is the place they will die so that they can reach 'nirvana' and escape the cycle of death and rebirth. As death is openly celebrated, funeral pyres are out in the open along the river for both locals and tourists to watch the cremations, whilst there are parades day and night.

49. Japan - LED Buddha Urns

Image source CBS NewsIn the Koukokuki temple in Tokyo, Japan, there are over 2000 glass buddhas on display which are each lit by LED bulbs. These glass buddhas are actually burial urns containing ashes of the deceased, and when loved ones visit the temple, the buddha statue they need will light up in a different color to the ones surrounding it so that it's easily recognized.

50. North America - Haida Totem Poles

Image source Indigenous FoundationsThe people in North America that were known as the Haida people had a certain death ritual they practised for the important people within their tribes. The body would be beaten to a pulp using clubs and then placed into a box. The box would then be placed in a special 'mortuary' totem pole which would be positioned outside the house of the person who had died.