Non-conventional Burial And Funeral Traditions Around The World

While death is an inevitable part of life, burial rituals vary worldwide. Depending on a place’s culture and traditions, funeral arrangements can get from conventional to eccentric. Let’s have a look at some of the different burial and funeral traditions around the world.

Cremation/Death Beads (South Korea)

As there is a shortage of graveyard space in South Korea, a law was passed requiring families to have the remains of their deceased members removed from their graves after 60 years. Therefore, many South Koreans prefer cremation.

Rather than keep the ashes of their dead in urns, many South Koreans turn to what they call “death beads.” These special beads are made from the deceased's ashes and can be displayed at home.

Cook Their Favorite Festive Dishes

Do they love roast turkey with cranberry sauce? How about the classic Christmas ham? Having their favorite holiday dishes for your Christmas dinner is definitely a fantastic (and tummy-filling) way to honor them this season.

Fantasy Coffins (Ghana)

People in Ghana believe that life continues on the “other side,” which is why they came up with making coffins that represent the deceased’s profession or interests. Instead of the usual rectangular caskets, these “fantasy coffins” are made into whatever figure or shape specified by the person or the deceased’s family (for instance, a pilot would have an airplane-shaped coffin). Now that’s one way to celebrate death in style!

Jazz Funeral (New Orleans, USA)

As the city of New Orleans in Louisiana, USA is hailed as the birthplace of jazz, having a jazz funeral is only fitting. In this ceremony, a marching band will lead the procession from the church or funeral home to the gravesite. A jazz funeral is typically held whenever a respected New Orleans musician dies, but anyone can have the same upon request.

Hanging Coffins (Sagada, Philippines)

Everyone knows heaven is “up there,” so the Kankanaey people of Sagada in the Philippines thought of hanging coffins from cliffs — this would bring the dead closer to heaven and ease the transition to the afterlife. The Hanging Coffins of Sagada have become a popular tourist attraction because of the eerie yet fascinating view.

Sky Burial (Tibet)

Similar to the hanging coffins of Sagada, Tibetans also take the remains of the dead high in the mountain. The difference in Tibet is that they allow the corpse to be consumed by scavenging animals or be decomposed by the elements. Tibetans believe a dead person’s body should be returned to the earth as an ultimate act of kindness.

There are many ways to honor our deceased loved ones. It all depends on their last wishes or your family’s preferences. As long as you’re not breaking any laws, even unique funerals are just fine. Should you need to hold a funeral service in Virginia, contact Direct Cremation Services of Virginia. We offer simple yet dignified funeral options to save you from stress and extra expense.