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A Village Burial Ceremony [In Pictures]

By Sarah Kutahi

Death is inevitable, or so they say.  Today, I decided to capture what we often fail to observe or take note of during a typical village burial ceremony… Here are some pictures to narrate the different scenes:

Women play a significant role in ensuring the success of the burial ceremony. They come in uniform – depending on the group or association – to ensure that they are easily recognised when needed to support the widow or sing to the mourners.
For the famous or well respected, some villagers go out of their way to honour the ceremony– even if it means to watch from a tree-branch.
It might be a burial ceremony but also an opportunity to network and connect.
Many villagers queue up for a turn to pay their last respect to the dead.
The animals that will be prepared for food are paraded around the compound to pay respect to the dead community leader.
Crowds sing and dance in praise of their beloved son of the soil.
Business thrives amid the watchful eye of security.
After the ceremony, the village quieten. Mourners sit in silence. And of course, a litter of cans, paper wraps, etc. lie here and there until a clean-up exercise takes place.