The funeral

13. August 2022
|In Beerdigung, Uncategorized
|By V.Moerath

It was a great challenge for me to document the funeral ceremony, which lasted several days. Even the 10 days beforehand were packed: all the women sat around for hours preparing tons of food for the mourners. More and more visitors from out of town arrived, and more and more helpers:inside. All the larger rooms filled with drinks, food, dishes and chairs – which were also labeled. The xylophones were repaired, as well as crumbling masonry and the dusty floor in the courtyard. Latrines were built, the field in front of the homestead was leveled. Already in Accra, Cynthia had to prepare the gifts with the domestic worker.

Nobody had time. Everybody was busy.

 

Das Bild ist von 1989. Als kleine Gaben für die Gäste gibt es Handgel ... Coronakonform.
Pigr’s image I shot 1989. Now it is on the small presents for the guests.

 

Das Gel wird dann noch in ein schmuckes Säckchen in direkter Nachbarschaft zu einer Maske gelegt.
The hand gel will be placed in a neat little bag right next to a surgical mask.

 

In diese festlichen Tüten werden dann das Handgel, Taschentücher und Masken überreicht.
Hand gels, handkerchiefs and surgical masks are then handed over in these festive bags.

 

Genug Getränke für die Gäste
The many drinks for the guests are being delivered.

 

Der Rohbau des neuen Hauses dient als Abstellraum für die vielen Vorräte
The shell of the new house serves as a storage room for all the supplies.

 

Der Tonkrug gehörte einst Pigr. Er wird später zu ihrem Leichnam gestellt.
The clay jug once belonged to Pigr. It is later placed with her corpse.

 

Es mussten ungezählte Kilogramms an Zwiebeln geschält und geschnitten werden.
Countless kilogrammes of onions had to be peeled and cut.

 

Cynthia and Ruth take care of many tomatoes.

 

Plastikbecher werden alle mit dem Namen Kuuyuor beschriftet, nachdem sie einmal gewaschen wurden.
The young people had to wash and label the plastic cups.

 

Irene, Titus Frau, hat tatsächlich in fetten Kühlboxen viel gefrorenen Fisch mitgebracht aus Accra. Nun müssen die Fische gesäubert und ausgenommen werden. Eine irre Arbeit.
Irene, Titu’s wife, has brought frozen fish in fat coolers from Accra. Now the fish have to be cleaned and gutted. A crazy job.

 

Alexis, einer von vielen Enkeln, die Pigr hatte, erneuert das Grab, wo vorher nur Kuuyuour zur Ruhe gelegt wurde. Seine Gebeine werden derzeit sicher irgendwo hier im Gehöft verwahrt, bis er zusammen mit Pigr wieder bestattet wird.
Alexis, one of many grandchildren Pigr had, renews the grave where Kuuyuour was buried in 1999. His bones are currently kept safely in the homestead until he is reburied together with Pigr.

 

Die Wand wurde schon für die beiden Toten geweißt. Vorher wurde sie noch einmal repariert und der Boden erneuert.
This is the place where the dead are laid out. The wall was whitewashed. Before that, it was repaired and the floor was renewed.

 

Das Tuch, in dem Pigr beerdigt wird, trocknet seit Tagen in der Sonne

The big shroud for Pigr has been washed and is drying on the wall since two days now.

 

Kuuim bereitet sich vor, um die Matte für die Tote Pigr zu knüfen.
Kuuim prepares to tie the mat for the Pigr. She is her oldest daughter and took care of her mother the last years.

 

It is already getting to be evening. The boys go out with the donkey cart to fetch earth for the soil remediation.

 

The women sit together pre-cooking almost until midnight.

 

Die Schuhe stehen schon geputzt bereit. Alle werden sich für die Feier von Pigr schön anziehen.
The next day, shoes are ready, shined. Everyone will dress nicely for Pigr’s celebration.

 

Die Radiostation in Nadom, eine größere Kreisstadt, ist umgezogen. Wir gehen hin, um die Ankündigung der Beerdigung hinzu bringen.
The radio station in Nandom, a bigger district town, has moved to a new building. We go there to announce the funeral.

 

Die Beerdigung wird am Tag vor der Feier im regionalen Radio angekündigt. Fünf Mal.
The funeral is announced on regional radio the day before the ceremony. Five times in total. It only costs a few Cedis. The most important personalities and families are invited to come.

 

Die Xylophone stehen nun bereit. Sie werden fast drei Tage ohne Pause bespielt.

The xylophones are now ready. They are played at the funeral for almost three days without a break.

 

Surreal wirkt die nächtliche Szene kurz bevor Pigrs Leichnam ankommt.
The night scene shortly before Pigr’s body arrives seems surreal.

Then came the big moment when the bodies of Pigr and Titu’s cousin Gaapagr arrived at the homestead. Pognyang, Titu’s sister, was buried with her husband. Just her picture will be shown. Pigr was taken into a room and laid on the floor. All the women went into the small hut and looked at the dead woman in silence. Pigr was washed, embalmed and dressed in a beautiful robe. The same took place for Gaapagr in his homestead. It was late at night when both dead bodies were laid out in the courtyard, only their silhouettes visible in the glow of many candles. Both were sitting on chairs. Then the drumming, xylophone playing and mourning began.

 

Die Frauen versammeln sich rund um die Tote und ehren sie still. Alle halten inne in einem Moment des großen Respekts.

The women gather around the dead woman and honour her silently.
All pause in a moment of great respect.

 

Vier, fünf Frauen sorgen dafür, dass Pigr schön angezogen wird. Hier zieht Kuuim aus einem großen Sack ein Oberteil. Es wird dann diskutiert, was am besten geeignet ist.
Four or five women make sure that Pigr is washed and nicely dressed. Here Kuuim pulls a top out of a large sack. The group discusses what is the most suitable cloth.

 

Die schon angereisten Gäste versammeln sich schon um zu trauern
All the guests and the whole family gather for the first time to mourn.

 

Pigr and Gaapagr are laid out in the courtyard.

 

Nachdem Pigr und Gaapagr angekleidet und vorbereitet wurden, werden sie im Hof hingesetzt. Das Trauern beginnt spät nachts
The women come to the dead first.

 

All the grandchildren light a candle for Pigr.

 

Viele Gäste übernachten nun im Gehöft. Ich schätze, es waren um die 50 Menschen, die hier geschlafen haben in der ersten Nacht.
Many guests stayed at the homestead for the next two nights. I estimate there were around 50 people or more. In the whole there came more than 500 people to the funeral.

 

No sooner had the sun risen the next morning than all the mourners gathered again in the courtyard and went back to both dead to honour them, mourn them and bid them farewell. Outside in the field, a tent was erected and decorated with great attention to detail, where Pigr and Gaapagr were placed inside from midday. Their belongings were draped around them: Suitcases, pots, fabrics for Pigr. Gapaagr had a bow and arrow, among other things. Next to the tent, the guests laid offerings for the family of the dead. Chickens and goats were tethered, bundles of millet and maize were laid down. The portraits I had taken of Pigr, Kuuyuour 1989 and of Ponyang and Gapaagr 2019 were placed in front of them. I was very touched by that.

 

Ein Zelt wird auf dem Feld für die beiden Toten aufgestellt und geschmückt. Hier werden sie zwei Tage bleiben.
A tent is decorated in the field for the two dead. Here they will stay for two days.

 

 

 

Die Gäste aus der Stadt werden im Haus verköstigt
Guests from the city are catered for in the house

 

Einige Frauen ruhen sich im Haus von Janet und Zumeh aus. Sie bekommen wie alle Gäste Hirsebier angeboten.
Some women are resting in the house of Janet and Zumeh. They are offered millet beer, pitó, like all the guests.

On the second day, there was dancing from the afternoon until sunset. And only on the third day were the dead buried.
The grandchildren and all the women honoured Pigr, they literally “danced” a straw mat for her until she was busted . The men finally laid Pigr in her grave. Again they danced and sang. Until the next morning. Until everyone was completely exhausted. Until all the guests went home. Only slowly did peace return.

 

Am nächsten Morgen sitzen schon die ersten wieder nahe am Gehöft. Hier wird Alkohol verkauft, ein übliche Szene auf Beerdigungen.
The next morning, the last and the first are back on the field. Alcohol is sold here, a common scene at funerals.

 

Früh morgens bleiben nur noch die Geier am Hof
Early in the morning, the vultures are the last to fly away, one by one.

 

The exhibition REMEMBER will be opened soon on the 2nd of September 2022. There I will how a documentary of my stay in Hiineteng, about 50 minutes long. Hopefully I can post the film soon on the blog or youtube or vimeo too.