Mongolian Funerals Vs American Funeral Essay

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Mongolian funerals and American funerals are very similar but also have many different aspects. For example, Mongolians have a certain type of burial service called a sky burial. A sky burial is a ritual where the deceased is placed on top of a high mountain or hill and is left to be devoured by vultures. Mongolians do this because they believe vultures are sacred and are involved in the afterlife. No one actually knows how long the Mongolians have been practicing this ritual, however there is evidence of a sky burial in Gobekli Tepe. Gobekli Tepe is a famous archaeologist site on top of a mountain range, dating back approximately 11,500 years. Unlike American funerals Mongolian customs do not allow participants to touch the deceased for …show more content…

Both funerals are usually very somber and most of the people there are inconsolable. Funerals are sorrowful because you are usually saying goodbye to a family member or friend and this can be extremely depressing. Mongolian and American traditions believe in the afterlife and being reborn. Afterlife is the belief of a person's soul or spirit to exist after the death of the body. Being reborn means to be born into the world again and complete another life cycle. Both cultures also show a large respect for the dead. Funerals are one example of a memorial to honor the deceased.They also have holidays or remembrance days for the dead. Family's of the deceased are usually very involved in the plans for the funeral. Also, in the Mongolian and American funeral traditions, there is no time limit for when you have to hold the wake or burial service. Both cultures have rituals to honor the dead. An example of a ritual is saying prayers, both cultures do this. In both funerals people are encouraged to wear very dark colors. Colors such as black, brown, or dark gray. It is very disrespectful to wear the color red at a funeral, as red is the color of joy and happiness. Overall, there are many similarities between Mongolian and American