Morbid Monday – It’s a Dead Man’s Party! (Who could ask for more?)
By Rocas Dorran
In modern day society dead, as they say, is dead! It may seem a bit redundant to say it, but when a friend or loved one dies there is a definite sense of finality to it. Well of course there is! They’re dead and gone right? The living mourn the loss, slowly get over the grief, and go on with their lives. And with the exception of the occasional visit to the cemetery, that is essentially the end of any meaningful interaction between the living and the dearly departed. The fact that we often refer to the dead as “the departed” is very telling in this regard: They are gone from our lives. But there have been, and are, societies wherein the line between the living and the dead is not so clearly defined, and the dead are not as gone as one might think. There are cases where simply being dead does not excuse you from your social obligations. Nor does it necessarily bar you from being invited to a good party!
One type of traditional social gathering which is intended to cater specifically to the dead is still practiced in Britain, Ireland, and the Southern United States. It is known as a “Dumb Supper.” It has its origins in the Celtic holiday of Samhain. In Gaelic Samhain means "end of summer." It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning winter. The longer hours of darkness that accompany winter were believed to represent a time of spiritual darkness as well. At this time the realms of the dead and the living came into closer contact than at any other time of the year. Spirits with evil intentions could be fooled by wearing costumes, a practice known as “guising.” But not all spirits were to be avoided. The ghosts of familial ancestors and recently departed loved ones could also return to celebrate with the family or clan. The desire to include ones ancestors in a family gathering was the foundation of the tradition of the Dumb Supper. At this meal extra places are set at the table, and food is provided for the spirits who chose to return and spend time with the family. It is known as a Dumb Supper because once the food is set out and the dinners begin eating, no one speaks throughout the duration of the meal. This is done out of respect to the spirits who may join them. The exact traditions observed at such an event may vary by region. In the state of Louisiana a Dumb Supper often takes place at midnight.
In the case of the Dumb Supper, the deceased guests are not expected to actually physically manifest themselves. However, there are traditional celebrations where dead family members have been present in a much more physical and tangible way. One example of this has come to light only very recently. In fact, just last year (January 2013), a public announcement was made by researchers from Spain who have been making a study of paleoamerican burial sites. In particular this has to do with samples taken from urns the ruins of the ancient city of Teotihuacan. These sites--from between 200 and 500 CE. Teotihuacan, meaning in Aztec: "where man met the gods--were major spiritual and possibly political centers in pre-colombian North America. It lies in the Basin of Mexico, approximately 30 miles northeast of what is now Mexico City.
The contents of these urns have shed new light on how the inhabitants of Teotihuacan honored their dead relatives. Some of these urns contained what the researchers believe to have been cosmetics. Make up is often used by the living, and sometimes applied to the dead prior to burial. But these cosmetics were not meant for the living, or even the recently deceased. What then were they used for? It is the opinion of this research team that they were applied to the corpses of prominent, wealthy individuals after they had been dead for a period of time and then exhumed. It seems that it was common practice, at least among the upper echelon of their society, to periodically throw the dead a sort of remembrance party. The body of the celebrated individual was dug up from his grave, which was usually under the floor of the family home. He was then dressed, had makeup applied, and given a place as the guest of honor at a formal ceremony which was presided over by the high priest of the city.</p> The fact that cosmetics are not commonly found in burial sites in North America is significant. Their discovery in these graves is an indication that those who were given this ceremony held a particularly important social status. The most likely recipients of such an honor would have been kings, princes or other members of the nobility.
Digging up your relatives and inviting them to a party in their honor may seem a bit extreme. And it is certainly not the norm in today’s world. Then again, it is not entirely unheard of either. When the island of Madagascar is mentioned, most people either think of lemurs, or zoo animals going to crazy extremes to get back to New York City. But it is also home to a unique form of ancestor worship that is practiced by its indigenous people. The people in question are called the Malagasy. They are of East Asian descent, belonging to the Austronesian group, and colonized Madagascar at some time between 350 BCE and 550 CE. Today they still constitute the dominant ethnic group on the island. Ancestor worship is found in many parts of the world. However, what makes the practices of the Malagasy distinct from other similar traditions is the custom of “Famidihana,” meaning; “Turning of the Bones.”
Famidihana (pictured above) is a centuries old tradition which involves exhuming the remains of dead relatives. The bodies are laid out carefully on the ground, stripped of their old shrouds and re-wrapped in fresh grave Linens. In and of itself this may not seem so strange. However, following the redressing of the bodies, the living then basically begin to party with their departed relatives. This involves dancing with the shrouded bodies around the tombs to live music. It is also not unheard of for the dead to be given a place at the family table for a meal in their honor. The basic idea here is very similar to the Celtic Dumb Supper. However, to those outside the Malagasy culture, setting a place for an invisible spirit is one thing, while sitting next to the shrouded corpse of your grandmother is quite another. But for the Malagasy the entire process of the Famidihana is an essential way of keeping ties with the dead and a family’s past. It also has the beneficial effect of helping the living come to terms with the passing of loved ones. It also has the advantage of allowing parents to directly introduce their children to great-grandparents rather than just telling them stories about them.
Not surprisingly the practices involved with Famidihana have come under criticism from outsiders. Early missionaries to Madagascar were horrified by the tradition of exhuming and dancing with the dead. They actively tried to stop its practice. But there are also those within Malagasy society that reject the tradition and consider it to be outdated and barbaric. Today an increasing number of Malagasy urbanites and evangelical Christians are abandoning Famidihana, putting the future of this unique custom into question. One encouraging sign for the survival of Famidihana, however, is that the Roman Catholic Church-- the largest Christian sect in the country--has withdrawn its official objections and no longer discourages it.
There is no doubt that many today would find the practices mentioned here to be ghoulish and undesirable. But for those involved with these traditions, they are an act of love, and have healing value for the living. I have personally never been to a dead man’s party but I think I would jump at the chance if I ever were invited. Who’s with me? Just check your body and soul at the door! Morbid Monday to ya!
One type of traditional social gathering which is intended to cater specifically to the dead is still practiced in Britain, Ireland, and the Southern United States. It is known as a “Dumb Supper.” It has its origins in the Celtic holiday of Samhain. In Gaelic Samhain means "end of summer." It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning winter. The longer hours of darkness that accompany winter were believed to represent a time of spiritual darkness as well. At this time the realms of the dead and the living came into closer contact than at any other time of the year. Spirits with evil intentions could be fooled by wearing costumes, a practice known as “guising.” But not all spirits were to be avoided. The ghosts of familial ancestors and recently departed loved ones could also return to celebrate with the family or clan. The desire to include ones ancestors in a family gathering was the foundation of the tradition of the Dumb Supper. At this meal extra places are set at the table, and food is provided for the spirits who chose to return and spend time with the family. It is known as a Dumb Supper because once the food is set out and the dinners begin eating, no one speaks throughout the duration of the meal. This is done out of respect to the spirits who may join them. The exact traditions observed at such an event may vary by region. In the state of Louisiana a Dumb Supper often takes place at midnight.
In the case of the Dumb Supper, the deceased guests are not expected to actually physically manifest themselves. However, there are traditional celebrations where dead family members have been present in a much more physical and tangible way. One example of this has come to light only very recently. In fact, just last year (January 2013), a public announcement was made by researchers from Spain who have been making a study of paleoamerican burial sites. In particular this has to do with samples taken from urns the ruins of the ancient city of Teotihuacan. These sites--from between 200 and 500 CE. Teotihuacan, meaning in Aztec: "where man met the gods--were major spiritual and possibly political centers in pre-colombian North America. It lies in the Basin of Mexico, approximately 30 miles northeast of what is now Mexico City.
The contents of these urns have shed new light on how the inhabitants of Teotihuacan honored their dead relatives. Some of these urns contained what the researchers believe to have been cosmetics. Make up is often used by the living, and sometimes applied to the dead prior to burial. But these cosmetics were not meant for the living, or even the recently deceased. What then were they used for? It is the opinion of this research team that they were applied to the corpses of prominent, wealthy individuals after they had been dead for a period of time and then exhumed. It seems that it was common practice, at least among the upper echelon of their society, to periodically throw the dead a sort of remembrance party. The body of the celebrated individual was dug up from his grave, which was usually under the floor of the family home. He was then dressed, had makeup applied, and given a place as the guest of honor at a formal ceremony which was presided over by the high priest of the city.</p> The fact that cosmetics are not commonly found in burial sites in North America is significant. Their discovery in these graves is an indication that those who were given this ceremony held a particularly important social status. The most likely recipients of such an honor would have been kings, princes or other members of the nobility.
Digging up your relatives and inviting them to a party in their honor may seem a bit extreme. And it is certainly not the norm in today’s world. Then again, it is not entirely unheard of either. When the island of Madagascar is mentioned, most people either think of lemurs, or zoo animals going to crazy extremes to get back to New York City. But it is also home to a unique form of ancestor worship that is practiced by its indigenous people. The people in question are called the Malagasy. They are of East Asian descent, belonging to the Austronesian group, and colonized Madagascar at some time between 350 BCE and 550 CE. Today they still constitute the dominant ethnic group on the island. Ancestor worship is found in many parts of the world. However, what makes the practices of the Malagasy distinct from other similar traditions is the custom of “Famidihana,” meaning; “Turning of the Bones.”
Not surprisingly the practices involved with Famidihana have come under criticism from outsiders. Early missionaries to Madagascar were horrified by the tradition of exhuming and dancing with the dead. They actively tried to stop its practice. But there are also those within Malagasy society that reject the tradition and consider it to be outdated and barbaric. Today an increasing number of Malagasy urbanites and evangelical Christians are abandoning Famidihana, putting the future of this unique custom into question. One encouraging sign for the survival of Famidihana, however, is that the Roman Catholic Church-- the largest Christian sect in the country--has withdrawn its official objections and no longer discourages it.
There is no doubt that many today would find the practices mentioned here to be ghoulish and undesirable. But for those involved with these traditions, they are an act of love, and have healing value for the living. I have personally never been to a dead man’s party but I think I would jump at the chance if I ever were invited. Who’s with me? Just check your body and soul at the door! Morbid Monday to ya!
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