Funerals

In Malawi, funerals are quite common. There is a high HIV/AIDS rate, diseases are often caught when it’s too late and transport is not always reliable to a hospital so far away. There are many protocols that one must follow in case of a funeral. For one, you cannot work on the day of a funeral. If you do, the chief will fine you a goat. Funerals last all day and everyone will attend a service, whether or not they knew the person who passed away. The funeral is set at the deceased person’s house and sometimes they have to cut down trees to make room for all the people who will attend the funeral. The body is set out for viewing so people can pay their respects. The family grieves near the body (rather loudly – the louder and more exaggerated they moan, the more you know that they miss the person). During a funeral service, it is expected that you give money to the deceased’s family. After the money has been collected, everyone sits around to listen to how much each person gave to the family. This can last several hours if the person who died was prominent in the community. After the service, everyone walks to the graveyard together, singing songs and grieving loudly. There are some variations, of course, depending on one’s religious beliefs.

The other day I made a serious cultural blunder.

So with all these traditions, there is one that I forgot. During my cultural training at the beginning of Peace Corps, I learned that when a pile of tree branches are found on the ground along a path or road, that means there is a funeral. People are expected to remove caps, walk their bikes and slow any vehicles until they see another set of tree branches on the ground. After the second set of branches, you can go on your way. The other day I was riding my bike. I was going pretty fast, as I was running late for a meeting. I usually greet everyone I ride by (as it is considered rude not to greet people when you pass them) but when I greeted a group of people along the side of the road, they did not respond and they did not smile. I thought that was odd. Malawians are always smiling and they are always surprised to hear a foreigner speak Chitonga. As I pedaled away faster, someone along the road called out my name. I stopped my bike and said hello to a man who works at the hospital. He asked me where I was rushing and why did I have no respect for the dead. I was confused at first and then I turned back and saw the tree branches. I just offended everyone in that community and I felt awful – especially since I knew the rule about walking your bike. I just did not notice the branches. This was a huge lesson – I need to be more observant and stop being is such a rush. Luckily, it is forgivable, since I am not from here. But I did hear stories about another volunteer where he was chased down and pushed off his bike by a group of Malawians because he did not walk his bike at a funeral. I definitely do not want to be chased out of my village.

Will the cultural blunders ever cease? Oh, but the fun that ensues…