Cremation Services and Funeral Traditions from Around the World

There are tons of different ways people perform and commemorate death. Be it eco-friendly burial capsules and glass beads to standard cremation services in Yardley, PA, it’s always fascinating to learn about different traditions and practices from all around the globe.

Want to learn more about some of these global traditions? Here is a short list of some fascinating cremation and funeral practices:

1. Italian Capsula Mundi – The Capsula Mundi is a practice for after cremation services. It is an eco-friendly burial container that uses cremains to fertilize and seed a new tree. The name comes from a Latin root that translates to “transformations of our body between the mineral, vegetal and animal worlds: the three key elements of life on Earth.” Italians are embracing this tradition as a way to remind everyone that death is not forever, as the loss of life will breed new life in the form of a tree.
2. Ga Fantasy Coffins – According to Ga tradition, life continues after death. This idea means that funerals and cremations should be celebrations. To embody this idea, the Ga people make fantasy coffins for their deceased in unusual shapes and colors. Each coffin is one of a kind, and usually represents the deceased’s life or career in some way.
3. Coastal American Eternal Reefs – In coastal regions of the US, families are honoring the deceased in a way that also helps the environment: Eternal Reefs. This process, for bodies that have been cremated in a cremation service, uses cremains as a base for new coral reefs. It’s a wonderful plan to preserve marine environment for future generations and honor the dead.
4. Tibetan Sky Burials– The ground in Tibet is much too rocky for burial, so instead Tibetans lay out their deceased as offerings to the local giant griffon vultures. Though this sounds grotesque, it is a normal part of life for Tibetans. This concept is also supported by their Buddhist beliefs, as there is an idea that this practice makes it easier for the dead to move onto their next life.
5. South Korean Departed Beads – South Koreans usually cremate their dead, and then use the cremains to make colorful beads that they then display in decorative dishes or glass containers. The beads are generally pink, blue, or black, but they can be made into any color the bereaved choose. This practice has become more popular in recent years because there is no room in overcrowded cemeteries for new bodies.
6. Japanese Ruriden Columbarium – Tokyo is one of the most crowded urban areas in the world. Its getting harder and harder for Japanese bereaved to find places to bury their dead. The colorful and high tech Ruriden Columbarium is a solution to this problem. It features thousands of crystal Buddhas, each representing a recently deceased. Once a body is cremated, the ashes are interred in the columbarium for 33 years before being moved to a communal burial site beneath the temple.

Want to learn more? Please reach out to J. Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel by visiting 41 W Trenton Ave Morrisville, PA 19067, or calling (215) 295-7725 for more information on Yardley, PA cremation services.