Customs and traditions associated with funerals have broadened, embracing those of many new Canadians. McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes knows that all mankind shares a simple and basic need: to mark the passing of a loved one with affection, dignity and respect.

Our "Customs and Traditions in Times of Death and Bereavement" booklet was born of respect for Canada's diversity. We hope this publication will assist people to understand "unfamiliar" beliefs, customs and traditions so they can better assist the bereaved.
Customs & Traditions Booklet
Feel free to review these selected excerpts from the booklet. If you'd like a free copy of the booklet mailed to you, click here.

Plains Indians

The Funeral
....The Blackfoot funeral is similar to North American customs, however, the rituals are adapted to Blackfoot customs. During the funeral, drums are used and Blackfoot honour songs or personal songs belonging to the deceased are sung.

A special blanket (i.e. Pendleton or Hudson Bay) is often placed on top of the casket during the service. A picture of the deceased is placed on top of the casket for mourners to remember the deceased as they once were.

The burning of sweetgrass is sometimes done during the service as a ritual of prayer. It is not appropriate for expectant women to see the body of the deceased, nor are they encouraged to attend the funeral...

Chinese

Funeral Customs
...For some, colour can be very important. They may prefer that the flowers and the deceased's clothing have no red - or to be almost entirely red in colour. The colour yellow may also be significant at the time of the funeral.

One interesting custom of the Chinese that is almost universal is their giving of a white envelope to every person who attends the funeral. Inside the envelope is a candy to sweeten the bitter taste of death, and money to wish them luck. Death is considered to be such a bad omen that attending a funeral is regarded as a courageous act in itself.

The envelope itself is also significant in that the colour white represents sadness or bad news, and as soon as the recipient removes the contents of the white envelope, it is immediately thrown away...

Jewish (Orthodox)

Ritual Before and During the Funeral
... A rabbi officiates at the formal funeral service. At the graveside service, pallbearers carry the casket to the open grave, stopping seven times to place it on the ground to indicate the burial is not being hurried.

In some Jewish homes where there is bereavement, it is an inherited custom to cover mirrors, and stop all clocks. As well, there is a "rending of the garment"; a ribbon is fixed to the clothing of the bereaved and it is cut as a symbol of death and an expression of grief.

The Jewish people believe in a formal mourning period which is biblically based. 'Shiva' (meaning seven) refers to days of intensive mourning which begin after the funeral, with the burial counted as the first day. A Shiva candle is lit when family and friends return from the cemetery, and remains burning for the entire seven days...