Funeral Traditions of Hawaii

FUNERAL TRADITIONS OF HAWAII Ancient Hawaiian Rites CAVE BURIAL Bodies were arranged into the fetal position Hands and feet were tied to maintain the position Organs were sometimes removed and the cavity Remains were covered with tapa cloth made from mulberry bush bark filled with salt Many caves in Hawaii still contain these remains TRADITIONAL BELIEFS Bones of the dead were believed to have divine power The skull, leg, and arm bones of kings were preserved and given to family Whoever possessed the bones would benefit from their power Bones would be passed down through many generations Spirits of bodies buried at sea were thought to inhabit the sharks that ate them Cultural Influences FILIPINO The deceased is laid in a coffin for a vigil The vigil is more festive than typical Western wakes There is food, music, games, and general activity during the vigil My Condolences Thank You It's common for Filipinos to express sympathy and ask details about the death JAPANESE Buddhist traditions influence some Japanese funeral rituals Many Japanese adopt a stoic view of death with little emotion expressed at funerals Both hosts and guests at the funeral service are polite and hospitable Additional ceremonies may be held months or years after the death Infographic provided by: Valley of the Temples Memorial Park VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES www.valleyofthetemplesmemorialparkoahu.com Sources: http://www.valleyofthetemplesmemorialparkoahu.com/746854/2013/08/26/funeral-customs-among-ja panese-americans-in-hawaii.html http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/10-extraordinary-burial-ceremonies-from-around-the-world/ http:/dying lovetoknow.com/Hawaii_Burial_Methods http://catholicchurch.ph/filer/toledo-cebu/Filipino-Funeral-Practices.pdf