Funerals

In the short time that we have been in Zambia, three children and one adult have passed away. I have attended two funerals at Namwianga. The first funeral was for Mrs. Moonga, an older lady who had an obvious impact on the lives of many people. Although I did not know Mrs. Moonga, her impact on the lives of many is very apparent and I look forward to meeting our teacher, Mr. Moonga. I am very grateful that we were able to attend the funeral of Mrs. Moonga; this was a great learning experience.

The first thing I noticed during the ceremony that began in the church, was that several men videotaped the congregation. This is something that one would never see in America. Ba Siyaziyu was very generous in answering all of our questions concerning the funeral. He clarified that the video is simply for the family to see. The video is to keep in memory, especially for those who may not have been able to attend the funeral.

Next, I noticed the different ways in which each person dressed. Men that were directly related to Mrs. Moonga wore black suits in order for those in attendance to know. Several of the women wore headdresses known as chitambalas. This was to hide their hair, in what is to be a more respectful manner. I also thought it was very interesting that the women insisted on carrying the casket.

It becomes obvious to one the impact that Mrs. Moonga had at Namwianga since the funeral lasted for several hours. Cement was used in burying Mrs. Moonga; this is for several reasons. First, they bury people in this way to keep thieves from stealing the casket. Secondly, the cement keeps the ground very sturdy. Lastly, the cement helps keep animals away as well. After the family members threw a handful of dirt into the grave, the young men proceeded to bury Mrs. Moonga. Once the dirt was filled in, individual people in attendance placed assorted flowers into the grave. Different people gave speeches pertaining to the life of Mrs. Moonga and the impact she had here on earth.

The second funeral was for a small baby named Shelby. Little Shelby had measles and passed away at a very young age. In a way, this funeral is more saddening than a longer funeral, which may be held for someone that lived a long life. It is also sad that I must struggle to find words to write; simply because the funeral was so short. The graveyard is near the Haven and Shelby was buried next to five other graves, each surrounded by cement blocks filled with rocks. Very few people attended this funeral aside from our group and the area was under a large tree, which was surrounded by a fence. During the burial we sang several songs in Tonga, and then there was a short prayer afterwards.

The hole for the burial was considerably small and Shelby was wrapped in a sheet and blanket before being buried. This was a very sad experience for each of us in the Harding University group, because in America one will not have to bury near as many children. I did not know Shelby, but it is very sad to see small child buried at such a young age; especially with no family to witness.