Nomad Funeral

Background

The attitude of the Nomads to Funerals and recognising the end of a person's life is similar to their attitude to many other parts of life, in that the recognise that everyone is entitled to their own opinion on what it should be. That being said, there are some things which are held to be true and are common through most funerals with some variations.
Funerals, like Nomad Marriages, may or may not be of interest to the Gods and it is usually expected that they are far too busy for such a thing. However, for Nomads it is a central part of clan life to take the time to recognise the loss of a friend and celebrate the time you spent with them.

Purpose

Funerals serve three purposes within Nomad Culture.
The first is to recognise the loss of a life and the weight of that loss on those who loved them. It is an outlet for grief and part of the mourning process.
The second is to celebrate the life of someone who was part of the clan and give thanks for having had the opportunity to know them.
The third is to ensure that the person successfully reaches the afterlife.

Rules

There are no hard and fast rules for Nomad funerals, but there are some ideals which hold true throughout The Wilds.

1. All who can attend, should attend
2. Respect is paid to those for whom the loss is felt the greatest, in whatever form is most appropriate
3. The body is burned
4. All words spoken must be from the heart and spoken in truth

Preparations

The Spirit

It is believed that a person's spirit is intrinsically linked to their odour (as everyone's scent is unique to them).
If the body begins the smell it is believed to be the spirit leaving the body to linger in the living world rather than sucessfully transitioning into the afterlife.

The first area for preparation is around the body itself. The body is carefully washed, usually by a loved one. In order to prevent the body from smelling, it is then treated with either honey or alcohol or a combination of the two. This treatment often also includes a range of strong-smelling herbs. Once this is done the body is redressed in clean clothes.
Usually, the funeral itself takes place within a couple of days of the death, but if this isn't possible for whatever reason, the body may be washed and treated again if there is any sign of bad odour. In the case that there is no body to bury, these preparations don't take place and instead, a wooden box approximately the size of the person is made to mark their space. This is then used instead of a body at the funeral.
The second area for perparation is for the event. This includes making sure that there is food, the wood is collected for the pyre and a rune is crafted to be left with the body. In some cases, stories, poems or songs about deceased may also be crafted in this period.

"He was my grounding point. He kept me in the here and now with his teasing whether I wanted it or not. It was how I knew he cared."

— Spoken Truths at Aksel's Funeral by Dag of the Spindles

Funeral

During the day of the funeral, the pyre is built around the body. The body is placed in the centre with items they may wish to take into the afterlife. This is known as the 'Final Farewell' and could include a favourite knife, a good pair of boots, a tankard, or gifts from a loved one. Sometimes words are written and tucked into the deceased clothing.
The final item is always a circle of wood with one of the Runes carved into it, usually Home or Together so they might find their way back to those they love in the next life. This is placed in the hands of the deceased.

As the sun begins to set, the pyre is lit and the clan sings songs of loss to accompany them on their journey. There are variations in the types of songs sung, often depending on the personality of the person who is being remembered.
Next, truths are spoken by those who knew them. Each person takes a turn to stand up and speak. These could be observations about the person and their character or heartfelt stories of the way they have impacted a person's life. They always come from a place of truth and are listened to by all who attend.

Schedule

Day:

• Final farewells

Dusk:

• Pyre lit
• Songs
• Truths spoken
• Vigil

Finally, a vigil is held, usually in shifts until the fire has burned down and the body is burned. It is traditional during this time to reminisce about the deceased, sharing stories about them as well as jokes and lessons learned from them.

Once the fire has turned to nothing but embers and much of the body has been destroyed, what remains is returned to the earth, so that it might replenish the ground underneath where the pyre was lit.

Into The Fire, Up To The Sky

Into the fire, up to the sky,
Safe travels, old friend.
You shared your heart with us
And feelings flowed like a waterfall.

Into the fire, up to the sky,
Travel onwards, old friend.
We hold your memory close,
With all that you and I have learned.

Into the fire, up to the sky,
Gone from us, old friend,
But one day we will meet again,
And love and laugh together old friend.

Ynn y yldan, åpp tyl hymmalan,
Trigga raysar, gæmla vann.
Do dalta dytt hjarta mad åss
Åg fulalsana rænt såm an fåss.

Ynn y yldan, åpp tyl hymmalan,
Rays vydara, gæmla vann.
Vy håldar mynnat dytt nert,
Mad ælt do åg jag har lert.

Ynn y yldan, åpp tyl hymmalan,
Bårta fræ åss, gæmla vann,
Man an dæg skæl vy mutas ygjan,
Åg alskar åg la sæmman gæmla vann.

Societal Importance

Much of the life of the Nomads takes place around the fire, so it is only right that their death should be no different. It is believed that the smoke of the fire helps carry their spirit into the next life.
Funerals are not treated as something to be scared of and vary grately from person to person. For some they may be loud and joyous celebrations of life, for others they are soft and sad. There is no right or wrong way to do it, but what they do provide is a chance for the community to come together and recognise what was lost. This is why funerals take place even if the body is not able to be part of it.

Traditionally, only other members of the clan are present, but there are some exceptions. There are known instances of a clan learning of the death of a treasured person from another clan and holding a funeral for them even though their own clan has already performed that rite. This is because at the heart of this tradition is allowing the group to grieve, celebrate and say goodbye.

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