Excessive funeral expenditure in the black townships, a pastorial challenge

[摘要] Funerals are still considered as very important and well attended occasion in the blacktownships of South Africa. In the recent past, traditional African funerals practices haveaffected a number of powerful and complex systems that have been interaction in Africa.The three most important being traditional African cultures, modern Western culture and theenvironment.The study was conducted to establish factors that led to excessive funerals expenditures insome black townships communities of South Africa, in order to create a pastoral response tothis phenomenon. The project was done in Ramatlabama village in the North West provinceand also in Soweto in the province of Gauteng.A qualitative methodological plan was followed allowing exclusive experiences to emerge.Families, adults and young church groups, clergy, Bishop, Social group and a Funeralundertaker , an in-depth qualitative analysis was employed in order to find the real reasonsthat led to excessive funeral expenditure. The data collected and analyzed revealed thatfactors such as impressing neighbors, meeting community and family expectation were thereasons for the phenomenon. There were other external factors that contributed indirectly tothe practice and such as commercialization and politicization.In order to address this practice that is making the poor more vulnerable, the ShepherdingModel of Gerkin's and Pollard's Theory of positive deconstruction was explored. It wasfound that the Clergy needed to be helped to be aware of the fact that excessive funeralexpenditure requires a pastoral response with the right attitude and meaningful dialogues withthose affected. The pastoral care-giver with adequate knowledge and exposure to life ofpastoral care seeker will have a greater advantage to help most if not all families that usuallyfind themselves in this predicament or dilemma. The best way for the church to help the poorfamilies venture into the future, it's by educating our communities on how not to spendbeyond their means.

[发布机构] University of Pretoria