Editorial: Respecting, not fearing, the dead

THE horror genre has gotten a boost this year with the popularity of the comic book-based television series “The Walking Dead” and the surprise performance at the box office of the Korean film “Train to Busan.” The fictional tale of a world being threatened by the undead has undoubtedly gripped the imagination of a big chunk of the global populace.

Stories about zombies are variations of the practice of portraying the dead as among those to be feared. It is also in keeping with the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day ritual of dredging up stories about ghosts tormenting and “appearing” to or whose presence are “felt” by the living. This in turn props up the growing popularity here of the western practice of Halloween.

That, though, is but one line, the other being the holding on to the Filipino tradition of venerating the dead. That is shown in the still widespread observance of the ritual of visiting the graves of the departed in cemeteries on Nov. 1 and 2 and preparing for it by cleaning or repairing the tombs. There, candles are lit and prayers are said, or food are served as “halad.”

Incidentally, the word cemetery” comes from the Greek “koimeterion” or sleeping place. There the dead are supposed to be resting while awaiting judgment day when “the bodies of the just will rise in glory and unite with their souls in heaven.” That the soul separates from the body after death is the source of another belief: that the departed intercedes for us with God. These contrast heavily with the portrayal, say, of corpses being reanimated as zombies.

Respect for the dead is manifested in other ways. When people die we do not speak ill of them. Relatives, even those residing abroad, gather during wakes. We do not put up or attend parties during this period. Others place photos of their dead on the altar and even light candles or place flowers before them.

So as outside influences that conflict with Filipino practices seep into the country, it pays to understand the basis for holding on to tradition. In the country, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day—“undas” for Tagalogs and “kalag-kalag” for Cebuanos--is about respecting the dead, not fearing them.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph