A Lie, Traditions & Such

And then we drove to the family's residence and stayed there for a few hours, participating in the mass services, and listening to people's anecdotes, jokes, puzzles, singing, and the like. Yes, these are part of the traditional mourning rituals in our region. It's how people give comfort to the bereaved family.

Wakes usually last for days (3, 5, 7, or even 9 days). This gives relatives from distant places and the community time to gather, offer their condolences, and pay their respects until the burial.

While writing this, I was suddenly reminded of my first cousin's husband from the Visayas, who wished to have his wake here when his time comes (when he dies), saying he observed how people value, respect, and love their dead, even spending hundreds of thousands until they are laid to rest.

Some say it is a crazy and costly tradition, and they are quite right. That's because we feed people (full meals, coffee, snacks, and such) every day until the burial is finished; hence, wakes here often cost more than the extravagant weddings in the locality.

I wonder if this will ever change, but it is a beautiful tradition, especially when the whole community comes together to give the bereaved family a helping hand, from preparing food (cooking to serving them) day in and day out. That alone is already heartwarming.

Anyway, we left the wake around 8 pm, as we needed to be home before the curfew hours. And we will truly have a lazy day today.