MICRONESIA 2013 - Pohnpeian Funeral

Nett, Pohnpei

Friday, December 20, 2013

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Pohnpeian Funeral

This [past] weekend I was privileged to take part in a Pohnpeian funeral, which is a very important aspect of the culture here. Saturday was the first day of the [three day] funeral which started at the airport as [our Pohnpeian] family went to greet the [other] arriving family members and see [that] the body arrived safely. [One of our extended Pohnpeian family members had a child while living in the U.S. that died before reaching one month of age.] Even though most Pohnpeians would consider themselves to be Christians, much of their original funeral customs still exist today. Funerals typically last three [to four] days on Pohnpei, as they believe that the spirit of the deceased wanders around [for] several days before leaving the earth.

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So my dad and I drove from the airport to the land in Nett where the body would be buried. At first we sat through a service where the Catholic priest baptized the body of the [less than] one month old boy in hopes that [it] would somehow help [him] to get into heaven. After the Catholic service was over, food was served and it was also time for people to view the body in the open casket.

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Later in the evening [many of our Pohnpeian family members gathered around the body of M.J. Hairens, the baby bot that had passed away]. My dad played some songs talking about heaven and how when we get there, there is no longer suffering or pain. At this time, my dad also had the opportunity to share a clear gospel message [with] them, as life is uncertain and [the most important thing is that we all need to be] born again in order to be saved. In short, this funeral was not only a cultural experience, but also a great chance to comfort [our Pohnpeian] family and share God's love with them.

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Jonas Young

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[In Pohnpei, the first day of the funeral is called, "Rahn en Melah" or "Funeral Day" (literally "day of death"). The second day is called, "Rahn en Serdi" when they actually bury the body. The third day is called, "Rahn en Laid" or "Day of Fishing" where fish is caught and given away to those attending the funeral (this used to be a practice only when fisherman died, but now is practiced at all funerals). The fourth day is called, "Rahn en Kamwekel" or "Day of Cleaning." Please see below a short video clip of the second and third day of the funeral that we took part in.]