Remembered with a Smile

As mentioned in previous posts, I mentioned how the topic of humor often came about during the Irish wake. This phenomenon as seen by many other cultures including Americans is one that is inappropriate when talking about death. Budda Oliver explains this phenomenon in his article "Attending a Funeral- The Irish Wake". He first explains how the wake is seen in Irish folklore as a period of time that the deceased person could wake up out of the state they are in. Being apart of folklore, this has obviously just been passed on the the generations and has not actually happened. However, he explains how folklores such as this one can be used to explain the phenomenon of a sense of humor during wakes. Oliver states "If you are preparing to attend an Irish wake, watch the temper and climate of the group you are with." (Budda 2010) What he means by this statement, is look around and take in the environment of the Irish wake. As many people are crying, you were more like to see laughter along with it. Oliver explains this phenomenon, "It is in this way that the person may be remembered with a smile, and their life retold for generations to come, a uniquely Irish way of passing into the afterlife." Because the Irish are humorous people normally, this type of reaction to death is very common.

For me, what stuck out the most within this quote was the words, the person may be remembered with a smile. From my childhood experiences, I had never found a smile on anyones face throughout the process of a wake nor funeral. If anything, someone forced a smile to keep their pride. However, you can detect a forced smile on anyone. As my father explained, friends and family of the deceased are never very far away from humor. Not only are they joking about the deceased one's lifetime, but they are genuinley happy to reminisce those who are no longer apart of our world. This reaction to death is much healthier and uplifting than the practice of mourning within many other cultures. Not that there is any right way to remember the death of a loved one, but why not remember the good rather than that bad?


Oliver, Buddda.
2010 Attending a Funeral - The Irish Wake. EzineArticles.com. .