Death and Broken Artwork

Death and suffering are universal experiences. In Haiti, suffering seems to be everywhere, yet the people bear it with grace and hope. Death is seen as a release from suffering, and while not welcomed, is accepted and not blocked. I was told that people should not obsess about death; indeed, when a patient is dying, we are to tell the family, but not the patient.
There is a large and elaborate cemetery next to Sacre Coeur. There is a certain practicality, given the high death rates. As in the States, those with means have more elaborate markers, yet room is made for all to be buried. Many of the locals, especially the men with young children, told me that they have instructed their families to bury them quickly and quietly, and not to waste any money on a funeral that could be used to care for their children. Yet it is not always that simple.

There was a funeral of a fairly well known resident. The procession was winding through the streets when someone spotted a shaman. There were accusations that this person had cast an evil spell on the deceased. The shaman was stoned. Core beliefs and traditions are hard to break.

I’ve just come from the funeral of an acquaintance that died suddenly in his late 50’s. As is traditional in Judaism, the service was a combination of solemn prayers and light hearted retelling of humorous incidents in the deceased’s life. I expect everyone reflects on their own lives during times like this. I looked at his family, wife, and loved ones. They will feel loss, but will rebuild and move on, strengthened by his memory, albeit with some scars.
As I was unpacking, I found that one of the pieces of sculpture that I bought had broken. It was circular and depicted two people. You can’t tell if it is parent and child, or a loving couple. The sense is that there was no beginning and no end. Even after it was fractured and I was able to glue it back together, the fracture lines remain. In our own lives, after loss, we struggle to center ourselves and look to both the past and to the potential for the future. We try to find light in dark times. We accept the fractures as part of the fabric.
So it is with the Haitian people. Many of the dead are buried in mass graves, and others have died away from those they love. The fractures of the Haitian people, both physical and emotional, will eventually heal. Our experience in caring for them will help each of us focus on how we live the rest of our lives.

One of the great concerns after the quake was that the rum distillery had to shut down, cutting off the supply of premium 5 star rum. You see, it is tradition to pour rum on the grave of the recently deceased, so they wouldn’t get thirsty.

Not a bad way to transition to the afterlife.