Want it faster? Image adapted from Jaya Fanoga and Auto Pawn. How did they fix your sister after she went to the funeral? If the deceased led a pure life, flowers grow over the grave, signifying his or her entrance into Heaven. With Brad James, Morgana Van Peebles, Robinne Lee, Demetria McKinney. Place Coins on Eyelids from Ancient Greece, 10. The term "pagpag" is so far the most known Filipino superstition during wakes. Managing a funeral can be quite a taxing duty. 219 Kallang Bahru, #04-00 Chutex Building, Singapore 339348, The opinions expressed by our users do not reflect the official position of TheSmartLocal.com or its staff. Dont Look at the Deceased, Especially if Pregnant, 15. Everyday activities enjoyed as part of a trio can spell your demise, at least according to superstition. The belief that souls wander in a different formoften gives comfort to most Filipinos because it somehow assures them that their loved ones are in a better place even though theyre no longer present. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service Were you surprised to find out about the origins of some of these common funeral superstitions? The origin of this superstition has been lost to time, but people have always associated flowers with beauty, purity, grace, etc., while their absence signifies pestilence, despair, and so on. Couples going to Lt together will break up; 9. Many reasons are cited, including a symbolic de-emphasis of self to focus on the departed, or to indicate a withdrawal from society during the mourning period. My grandma used to say that the bad spirits around could "crawl" over the baby. By the time the casket is taken out of the house or the funeral home, you cannot look back and should walk straight ahead from then on. The superstition is that if you drive past a funeral, you will bring bad luck to yourself and your family. I'm Mexican American and its a no no to do that. Pagpagor stopping somewhere first before going home from the funeral, 6 unsolved crime stories in the Philippines, 21 Basic Filipino Phrases You Need to Know To Navigate the Philippines Like a Local, 9 Birthday Freebies & Discounts You Can Get In The Philippines To Treat Yourself, 10 Biggest Philippine Brands From Snacks To Banks & The Humble History Behind Their Long-Running Success, 7 Art Studios in Metro Manila Offering Painting, Pottery & Woodworking Classes For Your New Hobby, 20 Filipino Movies & Web Series To Watch For Pride Month That Prove That #LoveWins, Including Gameboys & Baka Bukas. The fees for the advice of an attorney should not be compared to the fees of do-it-yourself online If you are pregnant, both you and your baby will have bad luck. When removing the deceased from a home, the body should go feet first. Some help give mourners a feeling of control over death, while others may help with the decay process. Considered windows to the soul, many superstitions involve the eyes of the deceased, such as placing coins on the eyelids of the dead. Pregnancy Superstitions - Beliefs About Pregnancy Around the World. It is believed that if you do take photos in threes, the person in the middle will die. With the loss of a sibling, it usually is appropriate for children to attend the funeral. I believe she was Weeks old. If there's been a death involving someone your toddler knew and loved, you should think about taking your toddler to the funeral. Whatever the reason, few superstitions are actually harmful. FloristOne offers same day delivery from local florists. Wakes are themselves a kind of funeral superstition arising from the need to watch over the body day and nightsomething some people say is a measure of respect, and which others say has more to do with preventing the soul from returning to the body. Click here to learn more. Can Cremated Remains Be Buried in a Cemetery? I don't want to believe . 2-Day flat rate 29.99* | Next-Day $49.99*. Superstitions about the dead developed as a way to protect the living from the dead rather than taking care of the dead. 11. You may take them as seriously (or not) as you wish! I only ended up sitting at the back for 5 mins before LO started fussing so I left. 13. Other customs and superstitions, like burying the body oriented in a specific direction or using specialized materials as a shroud, are still going strong today. Some children may actually want to speak at the funeral service. When you put a mirror in front of a door, it means you are reflecting out all the good luck that tries to come into your home. A funeral, no matter how or when more , Whenever someone dies in the line of dutywhether its a soldier, police officer, or fire fighterfuneral planning becomes more important than ever before. While there's no scientific basis to support this superstition, taking a baby to a funeral is still often considered something to avoid, since it can result in a distraction that could disrupt the mourning. by Frazer Consultants | Aug 29, 2016 | For Families. If the deceased did not have a chance to meet the baby, he or she may have requested the little one's attendance prior to departing. Stay Away From Funerals. 5 Copyright 2023 Copper Six LLC. We interact with the world in an almost mystical cloud of personal and cultural mythology. This is why some families opt for bigger vehicles or rent out a van so that theres enough space for everyone and making sure that it takes only one trip. This pamahiin for pregnant mom is quiet true. Here in Blighty, we tend to stick to the same tried and tested funeral traditions. We'll help you get your affairs in order and make sure nothing is left out. The Jewish faith covers mirrors as a way to focus on mourning the dead and not your own appearance. 5 People traditionally throw coins in front of the funeral car in the Philippines. It is a big no no for Chinese culture too, we believe that bad spirit might attach or follow the baby. For hundreds of years it has been a common superstition that any baby born with a caul was blessed with extreme luck. In some African cultures, funerals and burials must take place away from any cultivated land. What most Filipinos do is that they stop by a fast-food chain on the way and buy food to take home. Even after the burial ceremony, youre still not supposed to look back until youre inside the house. Never heard of it. Of course the real trick is to hold your breath and avoid stepping on any cracks in the sidewalk! 4. Throwing children's baby teeth onto the rooftop or under the bed; 7. Perhaps they could read an excerpt from a favorite bedtime story their parent or grandparent read to them. "It is believed that when . allll his spanish friends and fam were saying dnt bring LO its bad for the baby and all my friends and fam mostly european had never heard of it n thought it was nonsense. Toxics and chemicals in hair dye is bad for health of a pregnant woman as well as their babies on tummy. What I know is handed down from her and she said that those celebrating a happy event such as birthday should not be present in a . Throw Coins in Front of the Funeral Car from the Philippines, Cover All Mirrors from the Jewish Culture, Leave Food for the Dead from the Mexican Culture. Dont Wear Red from the Philippines and China, 7. The burial arrangements we all know and accept might also have their roots in funeral superstitions; headstones were first used as away to keep the ghost of the deceased from rising back to the world of the living. In some African cultures, individuals believed that if a hearse stops three times in a row on the way to the funeral, the family would experience one to three more deaths in a row. Many funeral superstitions started as beliefs about the deceased and the afterlife. 1997-2023 BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis company. Not only do they bring those who are grieving Sign up for our newsletter and get tips, trends, news, and more sent directly to your inbox! As parents, our inclination is to protect our children. While we are on the subject of potentially damaging your unborn child's wellbeing, Chinese superstition also states a pregnant woman should refrain from rubbing her . Some of the less common funeral superstitions include the following: While most people today hold these funeral superstitions as amusing warnings rather than strict regulations, it is important to remember that every superstition has its reason for existing. Retrieved November 15, 2021. https://www.imortuary.com/blog/superstitions-about-funerals, Birds in Mythology. www.mythencyclopedia.com. Cultural Spotlight: Luhya People of Kenya Funeral Traditions, How to Preserve Your Funeral Roses and Make Meaningful Mementos, Cultural Spotlight: Rwandan Funeral Traditions. In Jewish culture, mirrors are covered so you can focus on mourning the deceased rather than looking at yourself. There is no one credible source identifying the origin of the belief that pregnant women should not attend funerals. Consider the Child's Relation to the Deceased, {"Alabama":"AL","Alaska":"AK","Arizona":"AZ","Arkansas":"AR","California":"CA","Colorado":"CO","Connecticut":"CT","Delaware":"DE","Florida":"FL","Georgia":"GA","Hawaii":"HI","Idaho":"ID","Illinois":"IL","Indiana":"IN","Iowa":"IA","Kansas":"KS","Kentucky":"KY","Louisiana":"LA","Maine":"ME","Maryland":"MD","Massachusetts":"MA","Michigan":"MI","Minnesota":"MN","Mississippi":"MS","Missouri":"MO","Montana":"MT","Nebraska":"NE","Nevada":"NV","New Hampshire":"NH","New Jersey":"NJ","New Mexico":"NM","New York":"NY","North Carolina":"NC","North Dakota":"ND","Ohio":"OH","Oklahoma":"OK","Oregon":"OR","Pennsylvania":"PA","Rhode Island":"RI","South Carolina":"SC","South Dakota":"SD","Tennessee":"TN","Texas":"TX","Utah":"UT","Vermont":"VT","Virginia":"VA","Washington":"WA","West Virginia":"WV","Wisconsin":"WI","Wyoming":"WY"}. This is based on the Islamic belief . This is another superstition that has a dark explanation behind it, but ironically, not all Filipinos practice this. Several cultures from Africa, some European cultures, and early Appalachian mountain dwellers all believed that funeral attendees shouldnt travel the same path as the funeral procession to go home. In other cultures, mirrors are covered to prevent death from looking upon you or to prevent the spirit of the deceased from showing up in the mirror. Here are 12 Filipino funeral superstitions and beliefs that people have practiced until today as a way to show respect and avoid bad luck at the same time. Otherwise, the loved ones soul would have a hard time crossing over to the world of the dead, therefore causing them to stay on the land of the living. Here are 13 superstitions concerning death and dying that persist today and explanations of their possible origins. The practice of offering a memorial gift (such as funeral flowers or an engraved memento) is one that has been incr more . Never Travel the Same Way After the Funeral, 13. When a member of a beekeeping family dies, it is important to inform the hive of the news to avoid the bees attacking at the funeral. what does it mean when it rains at a funeral, What To Do When Someone Dies: Social Security and Othe, What to Do if You are Asked to Be a Pallbearer. 5 Superstitions About Funerals & Memorial Services. The origin of this superstition is the idea that an angel sits upon our right shoulder and the devil on our left, each urging us to do good or evil, respectively. Although many people approve of wearing the color black to funerals, it was once believed that burying a person in black might make them more likely to come back and haunt the family. For example, the Victorians were notorious for their strictures on death and dying, with superstitions that ranged from covering mirrors and stopping clocks at the time of death to building specialty coffins with bells that could ring in case of a live burial. Its interesting to take a quick look at some of these shared experiences and see how they influence our superstitions about death. Here in America and in most of Canada, we have funeral traditions that have stood the test of time for decades, even centuries. Toddlers tend to be very active; you can't expect them to sit through a funeral service. Here are a few funeral superstitions that have been part of the Western culture for centuries: Pall bearers traditionally wear gloves when they carry a casket. It is considered unlucky to attend more than three different wakes or funerals in one day. Address: 955 Seminary Ave, It was meant to record the time of death. For those who dont have one, youll be asked gently to step a bit further from the casket. The dead will take 3 lives with them. You may take them as seriously (or not) as you wish! Even if the deceased requested a party and the death was expected, it is difficult to bounce from grieving to celebrating and bac more , Funeral services and memorial services are almost always overseen by a member of the clergy or other religious leader. By learning about shared experiences such as the way communities and cultures mourn, we can learn more about ourselves, where we come from, and how we respond to events such as death. Some believe doing so will reveal the number of years you have left to live, or will take a year off your life for each car you count. This baby was destined to become successful. Share your stories with us in the comments below! I don't personally believe it, it seems to be a cultural thingbut now I'm curious who believes in it so thought I'd ask you ladies!!! The most similar superstitions in between Chinese and Anatolian cultures are found in birth customs like protecting the baby and the mother from evil spirits. According to elders, doing this can also break all possible curses that may have been placed upon them. So, the conclusion here is that, unless an infant's presence was specifically requested, follow the superstition and do not take a baby to a funeral. 2. This is one reason why its widely popular to hire a funeral home to transport the deceased in a hearse for the family. Birth superstitions. Married in yellow, ashamed . Select from these locations within 3. 1. Thats why in most funerals, everyone has their handkerchiefs ready in case they tear up. This is why the cemetery is not the right place for a pregnant woman. To cross over, they needed to pay the boat driver, Charon, so coins were placed over the eyes . Cemetery Folklore the Lighter Side of the Grave. Missoula Cemetery, Document Center, 2020. ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/View/8206/Cemetery-Folklore?bidId=. Image adapted from 8list.ph and 8list.ph. They interviewed 125 children between the ages of 6 and 17 who had lost a parent. The Greeks were the ones who popularized this tradition. I have been doing research because earlier this evening I took my 4 month old to my great great aunts funeral. so im english and dh is mexican american and today we attended a funeral of his friend. 1 no. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Loss is hard. the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information. Burying someone with a metal cross (as opposed to a stone or wood one) will hold the spirit in place under the ground. Similarly, the Chinese believe that using scissors or needles may lead to a baby with a cleft lip. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal With this qualification in mind, superstitions may be classified roughly as . In some cultures, attending a funeral while pregnant wont just bring bad luck to you, it brings bad luck to the child as well. If the child had a particularly strong bond with a grandparent or other relative, it also may be appropriate for him/her to attend. I had never heard it before being pregnant, I agree I think it's cultural thing. subject to our Terms of Use. Covering mirrors with dark cloth right after death occurred in Victorian time was done to protect those living in the house from the spirit of the deceased. Did you think that covering your mouth when you yawn is a polite thing to do? A Hearse Shouldn't Stop During the Funeral Procession. "t va" - a common ritual for shop owners to shoo away bad luck; Superstitions in Vietnam When funeral processions pass on the way to the burial, you often see the hearse followed by numerous cars. This practice stems from a fear that directly touching the casket could allow the spirit of the deceased to enter the body. But that wasnt always so. Holding Your Breath. They are, however, still too young to understand the full meaning of death and loss. 17. When it comes to the actual burial, this may be too much for a child of any age. Perhaps thats why so many cultures have different traditions and superstitions when it comes to dealing with death. Not all superstitions are rooted in such steep myth, however. Seeing an owl during the day, or hearing it hoot at any time, is another portent of death. QUI SOMMES-NOUS. 16. Phyllis Silverman and J. William Worden conducted the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Child Bereavement Study. Reflecting on their participation several months later, the children said they felt it was important they were there to honor their parent and to say goodbye. Not surprisingly, therefore, Christian tradition holds that the Last Judgment will commence from the east, and many cemeteries traditionally bury the dead so they look eastward in anticipation. 36 Life-Saving Closet Organization Ideas. Be prepared to explain your decision.