Preparation Rituals of the Departed: The Case of Guyana

This chapter reviews historical death rituals of the predominant race groups in Guyana within the context of colonization and migration of the diverse groups. Guyana is a multi-cultural society of races or ethnicities (African, Indian, Amerindians, Portuguese, Chinese, European, Mixed Races) with diverse cultural practices of the various ethnic groups. Each ethnic group espouses specific beliefs about death, how the dead should be handled and the preparation of the dead. While some of the death rituals are entrenched in the cultural traditions of West Africa and East India, there has been some degree of acculturation through colonization under the European (e.g., French, Spanish, Dutch, and British) colonizers which would have impacted the Guyanese cultural practices. The methodological approach included document analysis, oral historiography, and interviews with leaders of religious organizations and community groups to garner, corroborate and understand the narratives presented. Finally, the chapter explores the hybridization and syncretism of race, religion, and cultural traditions of death rituals within the Guyanese society. It will also examine the role of religion in the shaping and reforming of these traditions and practices. In a society with religious groups including, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Indigenous Spiritualists, Bahais, Rastafarians and Hebrews, there are variations in their beliefs as it pertains to the ceremonial rituals of life and death. Moreover, with the passage of time, some of these practices have evolved because of cultural imperialism, diasporic influences, and social media prevalence.