Putting the FUN in Funeral

By: Lauren LaClare 

I went to a funeral last week of a super cool lady in my ward...she was from New Zealand.  She was Maori went on a mission to Arizona and served on different Native American reservations etc. (this was back in the late 60's early 70's) She met her husband there and on a side note he started the Lamanite generation.  They were both into singing dancing and all that good stuff. 

 I tell you this because at her funeral she had Native Americans in their traditional garb (feathers and all) sing and sign the Lords prayer.  Super cool.  Then as they were taking the casket out...all her Maori relatives stood up front and sang a super cool song that I didn't understand any of the words but because it was sung with such emotion and overall more enthusiasm than I ever hear in our usual church hymns...it was awesome.  Then at the cemetary her relatives did the Haka!!!! I was like hello I have no ties (other than being related to Daniel) to any Maori or Polynesian heritage...but think it was so sweet that I want that at my funeral. For no other reason but to make people smile and to just see something Awesome. 

    

So I tell this whole story and want you all to think not about your funerals :) (yes mom we know no funeral...but maybe Brinn can just do the sprinkler or running man around your casket in some sort of celebration ha) ...but to be thinking about a way to make more fun cool traditions in each of our families.  At that funeral I was really feeling my whiteness and lack of more fun cultural traditions.  I wanted to be like hey Swedes...you kinda suck.  So other than food let’s try and think what lively traditions we can start doing.  I was thinking of picking up the fiddle and doing some rip roaring singing around a campfire...or maybe learn how to River dance (thanks Irish) Ha.  So many choices of what traditions and cool things I would like to steal for my fam.  Good luck Sweet Granats!!!!