Till Death Do Us Part
/O, if I say you look upon this verse,
When I perhaps compounded am with clay,
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse,
But let your love even with my life decay.
Love and death — it may be slightly morbid, but they are two sides of the same coin. On one side, a young married couple, and on the other side, the same couple sits — old and wise — holding hands, ready for death’s embrace together.
It’s no wonder that both bookends are celebrated intricately and lovingly around the world.
Here are a few traditions with links to ancient cultures!
Mexico
A 3,000-Year-Old Tradition:
Not to be confused with Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a 3,000-year-old Mexican tradition meant to celebrate the lives of loved ones passed.
The celebration incorporates bright clothes, intricate makeup, and offerings of the deceased’s favourite foods.
The idea of viewing death as a journey can be traced back in this region to the Aztecs that felt how a person died determined where in the afterlife they ended up.
The ancient Aztecs believed there were a total of 13 heavens - or paradises - and one underworld. The Aztecs believed that people who died heroically or tragically went to paradise. On the other hand, people who died in a boring way — like old age — had a one-way ticket to the underworld (Better get started on that bucket list!).
Perhaps it was customs like burying the dead beneath the home that began such traditions as Dia De Los Muertos. The yearning for your loved one to always be close by no matter what. I suppose they hoped that if the afterlife is a path that can be traveled that maybe their loved ones could journey back - at least for a day or two.
Dia De Los Muertos gets celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd. The celebration beautifully coincides with the migration of the monarch butterflies — as if the souls ride those delicate paper wings to visit their loved ones.
El Lazo:
The symbol of placing a long cord or rosary around the bride and groom in a figure-eight is an old Catholic wedding tradition.
After the couple recites their vows, the priest (or another dignitary) places the rosary first around the groom’s shoulders, then the bride’s. Adopted by Mexico as well as many other Spanish countries, El Lazo has become a sweet way to join a couple.
El Lazo (or the lasso) symbolizes the unity of the couple while the figure-eight blesses the couple infinitely.
Hawaii
Amama Ua Noa:
The celebration of life was honoured in ancient Hawaiian culture (and still today) through humorous stories told at funerals.
Laughing and smiling, wearing bright colours, and telling stories of the deceased were all welcome.
Leis (flower chains typically placed around the neck) adorned the funeral area. They lay across the casket and the guestbook. The Leis give respect to the dead and honour their place in life.
Funeral chants, known as Mele Kanikau, were sung to the dead to send them on their way through the afterlife.
E Puhi, e hoÿi mai! (Puhi, come back!)
Eia kou ÿai, eia kou iÿa, (Here is your food, here is your fish,)
Eia kou kapa, eia kou malo (Here is your clothing, here is your loincloth)
E hoÿi mai a ÿai a mäÿona! (Return and eat until satisfied!)
E hele, a päÿani, a lelele! (Come and play and jump around!)
ÿÄmama, ua noa. (It is done, it is freed.)
The Exchanging of Leis:
We all recognize this floral symbol of Hawaii — images of tourists stepping off the plane and being adorned with these chains of flowers to welcome them.
But the Lei is a much older tradition than many of us know. Traditionally, the Lei was a symbol of rank. The type of flower worn determined status.
Because of this, the exchanging of Leis was emblematic of respect, welcoming, and love.
Like El Lazo, the exchanging of Leis was symbolic of infinite love and unity.
There we have it!
That’s two ancient cultures that viewed the unity of love and the departure of the dead as beautiful, colourful events to be celebrated.
And how fitting — flowers, butterflies, food, and chants — all things with short yet impactful lives.
Tori Edwards
Tori is a professional writing student from Newfoundland, Canada. When not writing or drawing you might find her listening to rock and roll or summoning the stray cats from the neighborhood like a witch.
