Authors : Atieno, Paul Okello

Volume/Issue : Volume 7 - 2022, Issue 11 - November

Google Scholar : https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N

Scribd : https://bit.ly/3V8SYZG

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7332613

Abstract : Funeral ceremonies form fundamental component of religious mourning rites among diverse cultures which is considered to offer social and psychological support to the bereaved. Funerals also afford mourners an opportunity to convey love and respect for the deceased. Therefore, being unable to participate in funeral rituals and ceremonies might have a detrimental effect on the bereaved by affecting their ability to cope with and process their grief. Beginning February 2020, the Government of Kenya, in response to safety protocols for controlling the spread of the deadly Covid 19, issued restrictions on funeral rituals. All gatherings of more than 10 people were prohibited, burial of the dead was to be done within 24 hours after occurrence of the death, and everybody was to disperse immediately after the burial. This disrupted funeral rites of different cultural groups to a greater extent. This qualitative study explored the impacts of funeral rites practices disruptions on family members’ grief and bereavement during Covid 19 among Luo community in Kenya. It specifically focused on impact of restriction on involvement in funeral planning, restrictions on funeral attendance, and restrictions on post death rituals on family members’ grief and bereavement. The author interviewed 20 family members of hospitalized patients who died between May 2020 and May 2021 from October 2021 to February 2022. Involvement in planning a funeral had a mixed outcome on grief adjustment, while attendance of funeral had a high and significant outcome on grief and bereavement. Additionally, post funeral rituals were generally viewed positively for easing grief and perceived as reinforcing bonds with the deceased. It is concluded that funeral rites can be significant component in easing grief even during Covid 19, and the restrictions devasted the grieving processes of the bereaved persons to a significant extent. It is recommended that societies should embrace technology such as virtual ceremonies to help in coping with unprecedented disruptions caused by calamities such as Covid 19 pandemic. Further research should be done on how Covid 19 restrictions disrupted funeral-related commercial activities such as outside catering services, hiring professional mourners, hearse services and regalia branding among others.

Keywords : Funeral Rites; Grief and Bereavement; Participation in Funeral Attendance; Participation in Funeral Planning; Participation in Post Death Rituals