A LITTLE BIT OF AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL HISTORY

Funerals have existed and have been a cultural part of humanity for a very long time. But what of funerals in Australia? Is there a record of funerary customs in the land down under and their origins?

Like most of the world’s customs and rituals the way Aussies farewell their dearly departed loved ones has changed over time.

While some are held within a culturally traditional framework, some are religious and are conducted by a church leader, and many more, are either more secular or a mix of everything. Such funerals are often conducted by a qualified funeral celebrant.

Note: Marriage celebrants are also qualified to officiate and conduct funeral services.

Indigenous Australian Traditions

The term “Indigenous Australian” refers to two distinct groups: Aboriginal Australians (the original inhabitants of the mainland,) and the Torres Strait Islander peoples. Within those two groups are many sub-groups/tribes. So with that in mind there is no single tradition that is a “cover all” for funerals however there are many commonalities.

You can find evidence of both cremation and burial being used depending on the group.

Nature plays a big role in the life of Indigenous Australians and nature is honoured with reverence. It would stand to reason then, that nature would also play a part in death. For example, some groups would cremate their loved one’s body and then place the ashes in a tree or other natural feature. It is seen as a way to return the deceased’s spirit back to the land.

Another tradition for some Aboriginal groups was to bury their deceased in two stages.

First, they would take the body and leave it outdoors on a raised platform. The body would stay there until the flesh was no more and all that was left were bones. The bones would then be painted with red ochre. Then those bones could be buried. Sometimes the skeleton would be placed in a significant location or carried with the family as a way to remember their loved one.

1700’s – 1800’s

The first record that we have of a funeral in Australia is from 1788. The British had just established a settlement in Sydney and so at the time, funerals were similar to what you might find in the United Kingdom. They were largely based around Christian beliefs which included burial in a graveyard (cemetery within church grounds).

Religious rites and rituals often started within the home with the departed surrounded by family and friends. Mementos were used to decorate and were also held on to as keepsakes by the family. That could be anything from locks of hair to jewellery.

With a strong belief in the afterlife, visiting departed family at a gravesite was seen as an important part of grieving and as a way to stay connected. They would be looking down on you after all.

Around the 1870s religion became less prominent in Australia, before finding a resurgence with the immigration of followers of certain faiths such as Catholicism.

Beauty in Death

Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney

A major influencer in how we commit to the care of our loved one’s memory was Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney. At the time there was a fresh concept being thrown about called “beauty in death”. In other words everything involving death including farewelling and burying those passed on need not be viewed as something dark and ghoulish. When Rookwood Cemetery was established, it was done so with the mind that the grounds would be created and maintained to be a place of peace and relaxation, where the public could visit and not feel like they were in a morbid location. That influence has continued to this day.  

The Influence of Immigrant Cultures

With an increase in cultural diversity due to an influx of immigration, Australians discovered more options to add to their list of possible funerary traditions and rituals. For example, the Chinese brought to the country the act of burning incense and paper money to honour the deceased. Other cultures such as Eastern Orthodox or the New Zealand Maori brought the tradition of having the body, in an open casket, laying at rest in their home (or the home of a close relative,) surrounded by family and friends, for a few days before burial.

Cremation

While Christian influence over funerals largely kept cremation from becoming a common option, as many churches banned cremation at the time, WWI, where many soldiers died and were buried overseas followed soon after by the Great Depression, caused many Australians to question burials as the only option.

The first crematorium in Australia was built in 1925 by the Rookwood Cemetery.

In the 1990s, cremation passed burial as the preferred option for the disposal of a body.

As of 2020, cremation accounts for almost 70% of disposition methods. As a comparison, this is pretty close to many European countries while many Asian countries sit a lot higher at 90% plus, and the USA only recording around 47% (with many of the more bible-belt states sitting in the 20s).

Conclusion

Today, Australian funerals are not that dissimilar to funerals in most other modern countries. Most come with a service, followed by a burial or cremation and then a wake, where family and friends gather to share stories, reflect on memories and simply comfort one another.

Most include music, flowers and a eulogy.

Beyond that, the rituals and traditions that are included not only depend on religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds but also a person’s personality. Many are turning to qualified funeral celebrants to help understand how and what rituals could be included.

This blog was brought to you by Rose Training Australia

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