God Forbid

Bodies bodies bodies: burial, belief and death across faith

May 16, 2025
Join Paul Tapsell, a Māori academic who enriches discussions on Indigenous death practices, Vicky Balabanski, an eco-theologian exploring Christian views on death, and Annie Whitlocke, a Buddhist death doula guiding end-of-life experiences. They dive into how different faiths perceive death, evolving burial rituals in the face of ecological challenges, and the significance of personalized support from death doulas. The conversation highlights the interplay between tradition and modernity in death care, offering profound insights into cultural perspectives on mortality.
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ADVICE

Buddhist Handling Of The Dead

  • Avoid touching the body for several hours after death in many Buddhist traditions to let consciousness depart naturally.
  • In Vajrayana practice, recitations guide the deceased through the bardo for up to 49 days.
INSIGHT

Tapu, Succession And Mourning

  • Tapu marks the sacred boundary at death, triggering rituals to identify successors and release the living from mourning.
  • Māori ceremonies locate who will inherit roles and knowledge after a death.
INSIGHT

Younger Māori Reconnecting To Ancestry

  • Many young Māori lose contact with elders and traditional death lessons due to urban, multi-ethnic life.
  • Programs like Māori Maps show strong desire to reconnect with ancestral places.
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