CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Samuel Sarpong, Ghana, 26 July 1998
THEME = CHURCHES
Recent obituaries in the Ghanaian media make interesting reading
Some bereaved families are doing away with wake-keeping. Notices like: "There will be no wake-keeping for the late..." keep popping up. Until recently, keeping-wake over a dead relative was a bounden duty for most Ghanaians. This was the last contact the living had with their departed ones, before the subsequent burial. It was the norm.
Today, the tide is turning. The high cost of funerals and the concern expressed by the Church on this issue, have compelled a number of Ghanaians to begin having second thoughts about the practice.
At least two mainstream Churches in the country, the Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church have expressed their abhorrence at the practice, describing it as a drain on the resources of bereaved families. Although the Catholic Church has been silent on this issue, some of its members do not see any need for wake- keeping. The event has been telling on a number of them.
The Presbyterian Church has already indicated it intends to ban wake-keeping outright - a position binding on all its members. The Methodist Church is calling for change in the practice in line with present day realities. These measures seem to be winning support from a number of people faced with huge expenses when it comes to funerals.
From time immemorial, wake-keeping has been part of Ghanaian funeral ritual and all burials have always been preceded by this event. Wake-keeping means watching over the body overnight with sympathizers. In some instances, live bands are hired to perform and drinks are also served to the sympathizers who stay with the bereaved family members till the next day.
Kwame Antwi, a sociologist, believes cutting down on funeral expenses is the best way to stem the frequent family squabbles which accompany the funeral rites, especially when it comes to sharing out expenses. "Ghanaians respect their dead and will do anything to give their departed relatives fitting burials. But there are lots of ways this can be done without incurring excessive costs" he argues. On average, bereaved families spend close to $2,000 for such funerals. When someone important is going to be buried, then costs soar.
At the time of the funeral, mourners are expected to make suitable donations to the bereaved families to off-set their expenses. Bitter conflicts have, however, emerged in families when expenses do not match up to donations received. In such situations, the bitterness lingers on and on. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana is expected to ratify its decision banning wake-keeping, during its August synod meeting.
A source close to the Presbyterian Church's synod committee, says: "Banning wake-keeping will help reduce funeral expenditure and unsuitable practices like excessive drinking during funerals". Whether this measure will be accepted wholeheartedly by all Church members is another matter. Presently, there is a mixed reaction. Some church members believe the Church is moving into a terrain it has no business dealing with. One Presbyterian, Ama Bonsu, questions the whole issue: "Who picks up the bill? Is it the Church or the individual? If the Church really wants to help its members, then it should desist from making a lot of demands on them, and also stop insisting on contributions to fund various projects".
Mrs.Doris Acheampong is a women's leader in the Trinity United Church. She says: "We can't do away completely with wake- keeping. Those who are advocating for its complete abolition probably don't know the relevance of seeing the dead laid out in state for the last time. It's the only way we can pay our final respects to them".
Rev.Joseph Osei of the Methodist Church says the changes called for by the Methodist Church, stem from the need to avoid stress often associated with sitting beside the dead for hours on end. "We believe there is too much stress on people when one stays up all night next to their departed. On the other hand, it would be wrong for Churches to completely ban wake-keeping. We need to sit down with people and discuss any changes which can be made. We should let them appreciate need for change. We should also ensure that the process for change is gradual".
Dr.Clara Fayorsez, a senior lecturer in Sociology, University of Ghana, also believes that there should be moderation in the whole concept. She says: "Although I believe we must honour the dead, I think we should do it moderately. It looks as if we take delight in worshipping the dead, and resent the living. Wake- keeping provide an opportunity for some young people to get drunk and even worse."
It's clear, change there must be, but individuals have to make decisions for themselves. Simply banning the practice outright is no solution.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
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