A Guide To Planning Asian Funerals

About Me
Sharing The Burden: Ideas For Funeral Arrangements

Hello, everybody. My name is Lois, and I am in my seventies. It might be hard to believe, but I attended my first funeral when I was sixty-five years old. Since then, I have suffered the loss of quite a few family members and close friends. In fact, I have now organised over a dozen funerals. As someone who had been so blessed, it really came as a shock when I first experienced the trauma of making funeral arrangements whilst still finding time to grieve. It really taught me the importance of having an empathetic and creative funeral director that can help share the burden and honour your loved one appropriately. Hopefully, this blog will help those who, like me, had no idea about the enormity of the task a funeral organiser faces. I trust that the ideas within will prove comforting and inspiring during this difficult time. Thank you.

A Guide To Planning Asian Funerals

29 April 2022
 Categories: , Blog

Do you intend to hold an Asian funeral? It could be that you lost a close associate or family member of Asian origin. This comprehensive guide should make it easy to plan the funeral. 

Respect The Deceased's Culture

Your immediate task would be to establish how funerals are held in the deceased's culture. Remember, failing to observe the loved one's culture could seem disrespectful or insulting to their memory and family members. Your research will give you a comprehensive list of dos and don'ts as you plan the funeral. For instance, how should the body be stored before the burial? Should it be dressed in specific clothing or smeared in special oils? Do you need to light incense where the body is preserved? How should you dispose of the body? If you will cremate the body, what should you do with the ashes?

Moreover, assess whether you are required to hold special ceremonies before, during or after the burial. For instance, family members might need to burn joss papers, present food offerings to the deceased or hold a wake before the funeral. Understanding these cultural practices is the best way to give your loved one a befitting and memorable send-off. 

Involve The Family

Some cultures have close family ties. Therefore, although you are charged with planning the funeral, it is wise to engage the family members in every planning stage. For example, inquire if the departed left any special instructions regarding the funeral. Furthermore, ask whether the family has unique practices that they observe when burying their loved ones. For instance, it could be that they engage the services of a particular religious leader or master of ceremony. While these practices may not seem important, they mean a lot to family members since they ensure continuity of the family traditions. 

Talk To A Funeral Director

The services of a funeral director will come in handy as you plan the funeral. Use this guide as you hire the director; 

  • Examine the director's experience in planning Asian funerals. For instance, can they find a funeral home that allows the family to conduct cultural rites as they prepare the body for burial?
  • Can the director offer a comprehensive funeral package? Besides planning the funeral and offering counselling services, can the professional organise catering, transport and entertainment services?
  • Is the director fully dedicated to planning the funeral? Remember, they could get overwhelmed when serving many clients at once.
  • Is the director's rate card within your funeral budget? Negotiate the director's services if they are too high. 

When planning an Asian funeral, respect the deceased's culture, involve their family and hire a funeral director.