LESSON 16: FILIPINO VIEWS ON

DEATH
(1)The culture of Filipinos has a diverse cultural background. This can be seen through
the diversity of its culture and traditions. A good example of this diversity is seen
through the traditions that surround death and dying. Filipino traditions that surround
death and dying are a blend of indigenous, Spanish, and American influence that makes
Filipino traditions unique.
 
(2)In order to discuss the cultural diversity of the Philippines, the nation’s history must
first be discussed to establish cultural context. The Philippines before was very animistic
in its beliefs and practices before the Spaniard came in the year 1521. The whole
country had been a colony of Spain for over three hundred years until it was gained as a
U.S. territory following the Spanish-American war in 1898. In result, Filipinos were
considered as U.S. Nationals, which allowed for immigration to the United States. These
historical contexts face Filipinos with three different cultures; indigenous, Spanish, and
American which all contribute to Filipinos’ culture and traditions.
 
(3)The Filipinos have many indigenous traditions that regard death and dying. One of
these traditions is called an “atang” An atang is a feast prepared by the bereaved family.
The feast is made up of the favorite food of the deceased person and a seat at the
dinner table is left open in memory of that person. Another indigenous tradition is to
bury the deceased with his or her personal belongings such as glasses, watch, and
toiletries so the person’s soul would have no reason to come back from the dead to
retrieve them. Also, another native custom would be to keep the deceased person’s
body in the family’s home during the grieving process. These traditions may be
considered to be indigenous to the Filipino people because they occurred prior to
Spanish colonization.
 
(4)Since the Spanish had been a colonial power in the Philippines for over 330 years they
had a major influence on Filipino traditions. The primary influence may be the Catholic
religion. We can also argue that aspects of the Catholicism are combined with these
indigenous traditions to make up the modern traditions that we see in the Philippines
today. For example, the bereaving and grieving process starts with a novena. A novena is
a Catholic prayer session that consists of the reciting of original prayers and the using of
rosary prayer beads. This prayer session usually lasts for nine days and the “atang” feast
is held on this ninth day. Also, the Catholic novena prayers are performed in the home in
front of the deceased person’s body, contrasting a funeral home or Catholic church. This
may show that Filipinos combined the in-home grieving process and atang feast with the
Catholic custom of novena prayers. These examples show how Catholic and indigenous
traditions are blended together to make the unique bereavement traditions that we see
today.
 
(5)Further influences on Filipino views on death and dying come from American
exposure.   When the Filipinos moved to the United States, some viewpoints on death
and dying began to change even more. For example, the novena prayers that were
traditionally held in the deceased person’s house had to be moved to funeral homes
because U.S. laws prohibit keeping dead bodies in the home for the nine-day service.
Further, before American exposure, organ donation after death was not accepted among
Filipinos. However, organ donation is more accepted among U.S. born Filipinos. What
we can see here is not so much of a blending of viewpoints that we saw with Spanish,
rather, a more direct influence from American culture.
 
Modern Filipino traditions on death and dying combines cultural aspects from many
different influences. Rather than rejecting a foreign influence, the customs are
incorporated and shared. With the permissive society like the Philippines, some
traditions from the neighboring countries, particularly China, made also an influencial
impact into the concepts on death and dying in the whole country. This is manifested
during the remembrance of the dead love ones during all saints day and all souls day
every November 1 and 2.  We can say that this is an example of an adaptive mindset
that the Filipinos have developed after being repeatedly exposed to foreign influences.
Although many of these practices come from different influences, we can say that
Filipinos over time had adopted them as their own bringing a unique face to the Filipino
culture.
 
 
UNDERSTANDING YOU GRIEF
( Article from New-leaf resources.com)
 
The death of a loved one, friend or family member often puts people in touch with their
own thoughts and feelings about mortality. All of a sudden you realize how quickly life
can end. It is normal to feel out-of-control, and overwhelmed. Realize that you are
grieving.
The first step toward regaining a sense of control is to understand grief. Grief is a
physical, social, emotional, psychological and spiritual reaction to loss. It is natural,
normal and necessary. It may cause a variety of reactions, including:

 Feeling tired and irritable. You may experience insomnia or feel tired all the
time.
 Appetite changes. You may or may not feel hungry.
 Feelings of anxiousness. You may feel worried and excited at the same time,
like your heart is racing and you cannot “catch your breath.”
 Feelings of emptiness. You may feel hollow inside. It may be hard to
concentrate or remember things.
 Feeling out-of-control. You may feel helpless, angry or frightened.

 
All of these feelings are normal. Your whole world has changed. You cannot bring the
person back or change the situation. It is natural to feel vulnerable. Through information,
people gain a sense of understanding. Through understanding, you gain a sense of
control. Seek out information about grief.
Everyone grieves differently. Cultural and religious experiences, the circumstances of the
death and your relationship with the person who died influences your reactions to grief.
If someone dies after a long illness, there may be a momentary sense of relief that the
pain is over. If a death is sudden and unexpected, shock and a feeling of numbness may
occur. If a young person dies there is a sense that things are out of order and that life is
not the way it is supposed to be.
What you can do:
 
Acknowledge and express your feelings
Grief can be confusing. Sadness, anger, fear and guilt are some of the most common
emotions. You may feel nothing at all or feel them all at the same time. Do not be afraid
of the intensity of your emotions. Mood swings are normal.
Guilt can be one of the hardest emotions to deal with and it may last a long time. Self
blame and doubt add to the pain of grief. This can make it difficult to share with others.
Talking about your feelings or keeping a journal often helps you gain perspective and
insight. There are no right or wrong feelings in grief, there are just your feelings.
 
Take Care of Yourself
Have compassion and take care of yourself. Eat properly. Get enough rest. Exercise.
Grief causes tremendous stress on your body. It affects even the strongest immune
system. You may catch more colds, experience headaches or muscle aches. Taking care
of yourself is more important now than ever before. You might try some deep breathing
exercises or relaxation techniques. You can find relaxation tapes at a library or book
store.
 
Take Control
It is important at this time to do things that can give you back some sense of control.
You will be faced with making many decisions regarding your future, both personal and
financial. Take time making major decisions. Begin slowly. Handle small projects in small
increments of time. This will help build your confidence and prove that you are making
progress. Put the clothes away when you are ready. Do not let others push you to make
decisions you are uncomfortable making. As you are getting your finances in order, get
your other affairs in order too. Change insurance beneficiaries. Check you health and
other insurance policies. Discuss you own funeral arrangements with your family and
funeral director. Taking care of life’s “paperwork” can help restore a sense of control and
give you peace of mind.
 
Be Patient With Yourself
Grieving takes time. It takes far longer than anyone expects, particularly you. You really
don’t ever get “over it” but you can get “through it”. This loss is a part of your life. Be
assured, you will not always feel as you do right now. Listen to yourself and go forward
at your own pace. Don’t be surprised when grief shows up again. Just when you think
you might be doing better, you may find yourself crying in the grocery or when you hear
a song on the radio. Anger and guilt can strike anywhere at anytime. Forgive yourself for
living when your loved one did not.
 
Find Yourself
Grief has changed your life completely. You cannot go back to being who you were. You
can learn to live with who you are now. Most bereaved experience a change of
perspective and discover that their priorities change. Now is a time to take a personal
inventory and reassess your beliefs and values. You may find great comfort in your faith
community as you look for meaning. You will discover new strengths and talents. Trust
your heart.
 
Create New Routines and Rituals
Develop new routines and patterns as you search for the new you. Acknowledge the
empty chair and move it. Rearrange your furniture and create a space just for you.
Exercise at a specific time each day. Journal and make an entry daily. Daily patterns will
help you develop your new identity and find a new normal.
 
Find ways to remember the life of your loved one daily. You do not have to say goodbye.
It is important to acknowledge the change in your relationship. You do not stop loving
someone just because they have died. You can still maintain a relationship in your heart.
They are a part of who you are and who you are becoming.
 
Reach Out To Others
Reach out to others. Learn to ask for what you need. Your family and friends want to
help, so let them know how. Turn to people you can trust for support and for
information. Find people who will listen when you want to talk. Leave the scrapbook or
photo album out on the coffee table so others can remember and share memories with
you. You may want to talk to others who are grieving, consider joining a support group.
Most groups are listed by subject in the phone directory or through churches,
newspapers, hospitals, local health and social service agencies, the Chamber of
Commerce or your local funeral home. You can learn and grow through common, yet
different experiences. You do not have to travel this journey alone. Life can have
meaning again.