Funeral Traditions | Exploring Different Cultures and Traditions -

Funeral Traditions | Exploring Different Cultures and Traditions

There are many different funeral traditions across the globe, depending on religious, cultural and personal beliefs. From festivals to celebrate life, to sacrificing the body back to earth, each tradition is unique and meaningful. At Wilcox, we build hearses and limousines to help facilitate funeral traditions in the UK; read on to find out more:

Funeral Traditions: The Circle of Life

Many different cultures and religions believe that once a person has died, their body must be given back to the earth — usually after a ceremony has taken place to release their spirit.

This varies from place to place, but often involves leaving the body to decompose, ensuring the life cycle with nature is complete.

In contrast, Indian people often choose to perform a ceremony called ‘Moksha’. This ensures the departed skip the rebirthing cycle, and go straight to heaven. To do this, they scatter the ashes in a holy place, such as The Ganges.

Celebrating Life

Many countries choose colour and sound to say goodbye — often a far cry from the traditional black attire and mourning we see in so many places.

New Orleans, for example, often has a jazz band playing sombre music to lead the funeral procession. Once buried, they liven up the music and the attendees have a party to celebrate the life of the deceased.

In Mexico, they have a tradition that dates back to the Aztec times, where mourning is considered disrespectful. They also believe that, once a year, spirits return to earth. To celebrate this, they set up altars in their homes or graveyards, and offer marigolds, food, drink, photos and candles.

Funeral Traditions in the UK

In the UK, we often see family and loved ones gather in a church or crematorium to say a peaceful goodbye, before heading to what is known as a wake. This is where people come together to mourn the loss of their loved one, but also celebrate their life.

Whilst traditionally people have worn black and played sombre music, it is becoming more customary for people to wear their loved one’s favourite colour, and choose more uplifting songs.

The procession is often led by a hearse, beautifully decorated with flowers and, sometimes, photos or memorabilia. The family usually then follows in cars or limousines.

At Wilcox, we understand the importance of saying goodbye — no matter what the religion, culture or belief.

We’re committed to building safe, trustworthy, and efficient hearses and limousines to ensure that funeral traditions in the UK can be carried out in a safe, respectful manner.

If you’re looking to purchase funeral vehicles for your company, please contact a member of our team.

Alternatively, why not read our previous blog to discover how our Bentley-based Hearse and Limousine passed the IVA test?