Reincarnation to Shamanism and Christianity. Each belief has its own influence on events such as funerals and parties.
Since my father’s side of the family are Shaman and my mother’s side are Christian, I attend funerals that deal with each religion, on both sides of the family.
However, my dad prohibits me from going to many Shaman based funerals because our family belief is Christianity. By attending too many Shaman based events, he fears I might get influenced and become a Shaman.
Qeej, a flute-like instrument which sends the spirit of the departed safely away to the afterlife. The first song played is referred to as “Showing the Way.”
Hmong people who believe in reincarnation use other methods at funerals. Most of these rituals are used to show the spirit that their reincarnations are always welcomed back into the family, and in the hopes that the deceased comes back into the family.
If someone passes away they must be kept at home for a few days to ensure that the spirit does not lose their way and wander the earth.Many other rituals are performed. Some involve visiting the spirit world to see past relatives and to honor the dead.
Death is a part of life, and it is a constant reminder of our human condition; we are not invincible. Whenever someone close to us passes away we think about the times we shared with that individual. The things we did, what we said, and how we lived.
For more opinions, read the March 5 article, Shantytown performance highlights Chinese New Year.