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FO: They usually dress--this is, r can't understand that either--they'll buy a
pair of new shoes to put on the corpse, and a new suit of clothes
sometimes, or, if he's gOI a really good suit, they'll put that on him, but
they'll put new shoes on him, I've seen that, and then usually a rosary
entwined around their fingers, and sometimes, when the coffin lid is
up, they will have picctues of all the family.
LP: Pinned inside?
FO: Pinned inside, and that would go with him. [pause] ThaI'S amazing, I
saw that.
IP: Is that common?
FO; Yes, at least it was common up in Renews to do thaI.
LP: Recently?
FO: Well, I'm only out of there a year and a half. In facl, I went back 10 a
wake there not too long ago. It was a grandfather and he had his
grandchildren above his head in colour photographs with him and that
would stay with him. When they'd fold the coffin, they wouldn't take
it away.l
These practices have also been observed in town:
IP: Do people place anything in the casket when at the wake?
RB: Oh yes, sometimes.
IP: What. for instance?
RB: Just about everything you'd mention: photographs, bibles, different
books, little mementos they were given over the years by somebody.
almost anything you name. It's not often it happens but in some cases.
It used to be a big thing one time but not so much now.
IP: Even a pipe?
RB: Of yes, sure.
IP: A bottle even?
RB: Yes, yes. I don't encourage that but I know it's happened; when my
back is turned it's put there. Yes, oh yes, everything, yes, everything. 2
Watertight steel caskets paid for those who froze to their death and blankets wrapped
over others who could never bear a chill suggest failure to make the proper adjustment to
the death of loved ones. The more casual "offerings" made to the deceased, such as
family pictures. rather signify the living's desire and belief that their dead remain "bound
to their own" affective1y and spiritually_ Witness experiences, which appeared 10 be
common locally, give their support 10 this affective or spiritual rather than supernatural
belief. In this perspective, formal clothing and whatever object is "smuggled" across the
borders of death above all express the living's lasting and loving attachment, honour and
respect for their departed ones.
1MUNFLA 87-159/C12030.
2J\1UNFLA 87-159/C12044.