The ManicaPost
EVERY culture has a unique way of respecting the dead. Deceased persons are departed ones whom we cherish and by giving them a befitting send off, they are respected.
Besides showing respect to the deceased during funerals and the actual burial ground, society uses the opportunity to console friends and relatives of the departed and walk them through this difficult moment.
In some traditions, relatives use this opportunity to iron out few sticking points within the family to ensure that those who are left behind live in peace in harmony.
Over the years, Mutare is fast witnessing a worrying trend of social decadence whereby people, or rather mourners engage in unprintable activities beside the graveside.
This usually happens when personalities of questionable social standing die. It’s prevalent when prostitutes, robbers, thieves, rank marshals and some other social misfits pass on.
Instead of mourning with purpose, mourners at these funerals have taken the opportunity to exhibit all forms of ill.
Some go nude at the graveside while others mimic despicable bedroom antics in the full glare of the public.
Their line of argument is that they are showcasing to the world what the departed used to do during their lifetime.
But, this is all wrong.
Elsewhere in this issue we carry a disturbing story in which mourners at the funeral of a popular Sakubva sangoma, Mbuya Sauti, exhibited pornographic expressions.
Apart from going nude, the mourners spoke foul language that was very offensive to the core.
Their behaviour was uncouth, despicable and undesirable.
Relatives of Mbuya Sauti who were genuinely mourning the passing on of their loved one turned red with anger.
A funeral had been turned into a pornographic exhibition. They tried to calm things down but their efforts fell on deaf ears.
Level-headed residents of this beautiful city will agree that this emerging embarrassing graveside nude culture is shameful.
It is our considered view that the police must be called in to arrest mourners, who dress down at funerals or use foul language.
What we must know and understand is that funerals are not a preserve of adults only.
Children attend funerals. What do these minors learn when people go nude at the cemetery? What lessons do they derive from bad mouthing at the funeral?
Aren’t we taking this too far? Some years back, more than 10 people from Dangamvura were arrested by the police after they did the same during a burial.
The suspects were rounded up, locked up in police holding cells and were only released after they paid admission of guilty fines for public indecency.
It is in the same vein that even if the rowdy elements dress down in the absence of law enforcement agents, members of the public must report the cases.
The police are there to track down suspects and bring them to book. African traditional culture is fast being eroded by such acts.
Society must value itself , and respecting the dead and those mourning is part and parcel of that.
