Funeral Visitation

Tribal affiliation is extremely important. It affects every part of a Kenyan’s life even in such things as the foods they eat, clothing they wear, names they give their children, music, how they vote in elections, and ceremonies such as birth, coming of age and death.

Last week one of the St. Anthony’s teachers lost her son. He was only 22 and had been sick but his death was unexpected. As always, we took up a collection to help pay funeral expenses. This woman’s nephew died the next day. According to Luo tribal custom the nephew must be buried first because he was older. This means our teacher’s son has been in the mortuary almost two weeks. Staff members have been going out to her farm almost every day to visit and console her.

Today (Thursday) it was announced that a group of us would be leaving in an hour to greet her. Others would go on Friday and still others to the funeral itself on Saturday.

Fourteen of us left in a van to go to the city mortuary. Once we arrived we waited. Soon the family came in cars followed by our school bus. The school had provided the bus to help transport the family and fellow teachers. We all consoled the teacher and her other children.

Then they brought the casket out and placed it on the ground in front of the mortuary. I believe it was a viewing casket because it had a glass plate window so people could view him from the shoulders up. After viewing, the minister said a prayer which was followed by a song. Next the body was loaded onto a small pickup to be taken to the family home. Then we proceeded just like a funeral procession back home to the family farm. The women sang songs the entire way to the farm.

In the Luo tribe the body is taken to the house a day or two before the funeral. The road to the house was too narrow for the bus so we had to walk about a mile. Located next to the house was a small tent. That is where the casket was set upon arrival. There were also three large tents that would seat about 50 people erected for people to be able to be in the shade. A sound system was set up so all could hear the short 45 minute service. Since there is no electricity on the farm, the system was powered by a generator. All this time people continued to arrive.

A song started the service followed by a prayer from a minister. There was another song and a sermon. Last was a closing song. After the service was a procession for all to view the body.

It is custom for the grieving family to feed the guests. The menu was cooked rice, pilau (spiced rice), boiled potatoes and cooked cabbage. Many people sat on the ground or stood up to eat since there weren’t enough chairs.

Tomorrow (Friday) more people will go to express their sympathy and another short service will be held. The actual funeral will be held on Saturday. Funerals are almost always held on Saturdays so people don’t have to miss work to attend. It will begin around 10:00 and last most of the day.

It is the Luo custom to bury people in front of the house on the family farm. This woman’s husband’s grave is located about 20 yards away from her house. The son was going to be buried next to the father.

It was a humbling and yet an honor to be included in this experience.