DEATH CELEBRATION IN MBUM – A CASE OF MATERIAL WASTE

Nweryeny

When the co–ordinative functioning of the body’s mechanism fails, man dies and we must pay the corpse our best last homage. We manifest regret in “Death Celebration” or Funeral ceremony.

            An ethnic group determines how any funeral ceremony has to be carried out. In Mbum, tradition, distinguishes between the death of married/unmarried, young/old, the knighted/mere subjects etc. There also exist “bad deaths” and “good deaths” each treated accordingly. But here, we treat expenses incurred at funeral services.

            Mourners always gather from far and near. They carry out various activities – gun firing, crying, dancing, cooking, entertaining etc. Consequently, they must eat. But when feeding is to excessive the idea changes to that of wastage.

            In other circumstances, people are so much angered by the death that they waste things. Some cry too much for too long and become unconscious. They waste-health. Others destroy food, rent clothes, break or damage valuable property, while some of the valuable property accompany the corpse into the grave. This is wastage.

            In some pathetic cases, some egocentric people bring things to assist the bereaved family with. Unfortunately they ask for too much in return. They talk, waffle, provoke and bore the family head until he decides to “waste things.”

            Some “death celebrations” are too wasteful e.g. a middle–aged title holder and father of five, is a member of two secret societies – Nwarong and Bsuh; and has been initiated into 15 traditional groups. He stays and works out of Mbum. At his death 15 groups come and go with at least a goat and fowls. The two secret societies are even treated more specially. Traditional groups and jujus come on behalf of the wife. Therefore Nkoh, Mabu, Mnkang, Wan-mabu etc are very present to have their own share. Other traditional groups also come with dances and jujus. The line continous. Eventually more than 20 groups turn up. At least a cow is killed for the general public. If each goat is only 10.000francs then the family may end up spending over 300.000 francs for the occasion. This excludes gun powder, wine etc. Nobody cares what the lives of the children or widow will be in future. With nothing left, the children are stranded because the family might have run into debts. Worse is that the “chop chair” that is, the family head will inherit all the chairs, TV sets, radio sets etc.

            When this happens, widow and orphans become debtors or beggars and even thieves. This is serious. The importance is that expenses should be done with foresight. Expenditure should be accordingly, symbolic and just enough to avoid waste which provokes other things.