Death

This drama, Death, has a lot of things I could write about. The practice of going and "sitting with" a family when there has been a death is similar to a wake in Western culture. It is inconceivable not to. This usually is done over the period of several days and nights. The family members that lost a loved one are never left alone. There have developed some negative aspects of the funeral practices. I will bring those up in the following posts. But this caring tradition is one I would pray Africa never loses.

The belief that all death is unnatural pervades these customs. That is why one does not want to be suspected of “causing” a death. Therefore one must attend the funeral and demonstrate one’s grief or be a suspect. That is why Naomi says that Mother is “sitting with” the family so people won’t think she killed Mama Amelia. Father explains that this is not the reason Mother has gone there. It is because she cares.

Different people (all Africans) seem to pick up on different ideas in the drama. One of those is the segment where Peter is dismayed to be told to bring the water for washing hands because it is "woman's work". Father corrects him.

Since being in Lubumbashi I have worked with a group of actors to whom I gave the dramas I have written. To begin with they took four of them and made a short play. They chose the series on death to perform. I did not choose for them. I was surprised at the selection. To see and hear Father deliver the lines from Revelation 1 was thrilling. They were told the play was too short and so they added another 3. The play has been performed in a number of different churches around Lubumbashi.

When I was writing this I asked my team of advisors if 9 year old Naomi would be considered too young to take responsibility for preparing a meal. Do their daughters cook at that age? The answer was, “Oh yes. Much younger than 9.” Wow!

I have this drama recorded in English and French, for your listening pleasure.