Hw # 47

PERSON # 1

1) Tell me a little bit about yourself; your background and age?

– I am 16 and I am Italian and Scotch Irish and I like to play soccer.

2) Have you ever been at a funeral?

a) If so what was it like if you can recall? The emotions you felt?

– I recall it being extremely sad; it was for a family member. It was about 2 to 3 years ago, meaning I was about 13 years old, so I knew what was going on. But it was still all new to me, and I had known him fairly well. What was new to me was the idea of death and what happens to the person once they die. All I could was comfort, to comfort my aunt by hugging her because it had been her husband.

b) If so how many?

– Just been to one Ms. Guzman.

3) Do you know how people from your background or religion take care of the dead?

Any special rituals conducted?

– We just do the normal catholic tradition, a wake and then a funeral. A wake is when the body out so everyone can see it. Then everyone goes up to the body and prays for them and gives their respects. It was a little weird for me, to see him in the casket. I could only see him from torso up, and he just looked at peace and so calm.

4) Have you decided on how you would like to be cared of? Buried or Cremated? Any specific place you would like to be buried?

– No I haven’t… Don’t really want to talk about.

PERSON # 2

1)

– So I am 16, going to be 17 at the end of this month. I am a junior at Beacon High School. I aspire to become a nurse specifically for the military. I practice shotokan karate and currently have a green belt. I play soccer and volleyball for fun.

2)

a) – Nope but I went to a memorial service at school recently. It was quiet and somber at first, a lot of silent tears and people speaking in whispers, but as my principal began as my principal began the service by asking the seniors to talk about memories they had of him and the mood changed and the laughter was heard, as some funny stories were untold.

b) – None

3) – An alter is put up in the family’s living room with their picture and favorite foods and personal objects. This is a Mexican and catholic ritual my family does, when someone passes away. It’s like the Day of the Dead (a Mexican tradition) but on the Day of the Dead everyone who has passes away are remembered and this can’t be done on their anniversary.

PERSON # 3

1)

- I am a female age of 17 :)

2)

a) - No I have never been at a funeral. In my culture only males attend a funeral; females stay back at home. I haven't been to one so I wouldn't know. Bust from what I heard from people who have attended its a hard time for everyone because it's like a shock wave. It takes time to accept the fact that someone has moved on to wherever they may be. Everyone usually cries or has depressed looks upon their faces; it's not a pretty sight. Again, this is not from my own personal experience.

b)– Zero

3)

- Yeah, in my religion there is a set of rules to follow when someone dies. The process after death occurs as soon as possible; no time is wasted, because we want the body to rest in peace without a long wait. First the body is taken home and given a holy bath. Then it is prepared to be buried; cotton is stuffed into the ears and the nose then a white cloth is placed over it. The close male family members then carry the body to the grave site and bury it while giving it prayers and reading parts of the Quran to it. The women back at home recite special prayers and surahs from the Quran; they count the number of times they read it by using date or fruit seeds. This goes on for several days. I am not sure but there is something that has to do with a 40 day period. Within these 40 days it is important to keep reading the Quran and praying for the one who died on a daily basis.

4)

- I don't need to make a decision; my decision is already made based on the religion I follow. Islam disapproves of cremation and has specific rites for how the body should be treated after death. Uh...no i don't have a specific place in mind to be buried; never thought about it before and I don't wanna think about that any time soon.

All the teenagers when I asked the final question, it took them a minute to think about it. I believe this is because humans in their teens don't think of death at this time in our lives, because (being one myself) we are young so we feel invincible and the thought of how we would like to be cared for once we are dead doesn't come up in our daily conversations or thoughts. I never before this unit thought of how I would like to go, buried or cremated. Hopefully this unit will help me make this decision or if not maybe later life I will find my answer. At the moment I want to buried, here in NY the place I was born in and have lived in my entire life. Through these interviews I was able to learn a bit more on other cultures and religions and their take on how a person must be cared for after he/she 's death. I also noticed that the teens I've interviewed have never been to a funeral or have only attended a few, I wonder why that is? Is it because as teens we ignore the dying that happens around us until we reach closer to the end? The second person I interviewed brought to my attention another ritual we do once the person has passed away to commemorate like a memorial service.