BURIAL RITES AND THE COMMODIFICATION OF DEATH: PERSPECTIVES FROM YOUNG ADULTS IN BAYELSA STATE

BURIAL RITES AND THE COMMODIFICATION OF DEATH: PERSPECTIVES FROM YOUNG ADULTS IN BAYELSA STATE

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In Bayelsa State, traditional burial rites have historically been a communal affair, led by elders and kin to honor the departed and reinforce social bonds. Recently, however, young adults have begun to commodify aspects of these ceremonies, offering paid services such as professional wailing, event coordination, and multimedia tributes (Galderisi, Heinz, Kastrup, Beezhold, & Sartorius, 2015). This shift reflects broader socioeconomic pressures: with youth unemployment high, funerals present a viable livelihood opportunity (Mshweshwe, 2020). Yet, the commercialization of death rites risks transforming sacred rituals into market transactions, potentially undermining communal reciprocity and altering the emotional landscape of mourning.

 

Psychological research suggests that when grief expressions become transactional, both mourners and paid performers may experience emotional dissonance—struggling to reconcile genuine sorrow with economic motives—which can lead to stress, burnout, and complicated grief responses (Arango et al., 2018). Moreover, families may feel alienated if they perceive mourning solidarity as contingent on financial capacity, giving rise to social stigma for those unable to afford such services (Hofstraat & van Brakel, 2016). Despite these concerns, little is known about how Bayelsa’s young adults negotiate the tensions between cultural obligation and entrepreneurship, or how commodification affects their own and their clients’ grief experiences.

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Although funeral commodification offers income opportunities to Bayelsa’s youth, its psychological and cultural ramifications remain unexplored. Young service providers report both financial gain and emotional strain, while bereaved families express mixed feelings about the authenticity of paid mourning. The absence of empirical data on these dynamics impedes the development of guidelines that balance youth empowerment with the preservation of meaningful communal mourning practices.

 

1.3 Objectives of the Study

To identify the types and prevalence of commodified burial services offered by young adults in Bayelsa State.

 

To examine how participation in funeral-related economic activities influences young adults’ psychosocial well‐being and grief processing.

 

To develop culturally sensitive recommendations that support sustainable youth entrepreneurship without compromising ritual integrity.

 

1.4 Research Questions

What commodified services do young adults provide in Bayelsa burial ceremonies, and how prevalent are they?

 

How does engaging in paid mourning or event services affect young adults’ emotional health and coping with grief?

 

What community‐driven guidelines can ensure that funeral commodification fosters empowerment while respecting traditional values?

 

1.5 Significance of the Study

Youth Practitioners: Will gain insight into the emotional risks and benefits of funeral entrepreneurship, informing healthier engagement.

 

Bereaved Families & Elders: Can better understand the impacts of paid services on ritual authenticity and grief experiences.

 

Policy Makers & NGOs: Data will underpin training or regulatory frameworks that balance economic innovation with cultural preservation.

 

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study

Scope: Focuses on young adults (18–35 years) in urban and rural Bayelsa communities who have provided paid burial services in at least two ceremonies in the past year.

 

Limitations:

 

Self‐Report Bias: Emotional and financial outcomes are based on participants’ retrospective accounts.

 

Cultural Specificity: Findings may not generalize beyond Bayelsa’s unique ethnic and ritual contexts.

 

1.7 Definition of Terms

Funeral Commodification: The transformation of mourning practices into paid services.

 

Emotional Dissonance: Tension between genuine feelings and outward emotional displays performed for compensation.

 

Communal Reciprocity: Mutual aid and shared responsibility in traditional ceremonies.

 

Grief Processing: Psychological mechanisms through which individuals adapt to loss.

 

Youth Entrepreneurship: Economic ventures initiated by young adults, here applied to funeral services.

 

List of References

Arango, C., Díaz‐Caneja, C. M., McGorry, P. D., Rapoport, J., Sommer, I. E., Vorstman, J. A., … Carpenter, W. (2018). Preventive strategies for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(7), 591–604.

 

Galderisi, S., Heinz, A., Kastrup, M., Beezhold, J., & Sartorius, N. (2015). Toward a new definition of mental health. World Psychiatry, 14(2), 231–233.

 

Hofstraat, K., & van Brakel, W. H. (2016). Social stigma towards neglected tropical diseases: a systematic review. International Health, 8(suppl_1), i53–i70.

 

Mshweshwe, L. (2020). Understanding domestic violence: masculinity, culture, traditions. Heliyon, 6(10).