March 2nd

Funeral
Today was the day of Dona Joana’s funeral. It was for the most part what I expected, very much like a funeral in the states. After teaching two classes in the morning, we went to her house for the ceremony. I arrive just as they started singing and speaking. The men and women seemed to be separated again, and it was the women who did the singing. A priest spoke for a bit in Changana, and then Dona Joana’s casket was brought out. People came up to her and spoke a bit, and the entire crowd broke into tears as her eldest daughter spoke. The top of the casket was folded down and people walked past, viewing the body, and spraying her face with some sort of mist. Because I was myself (I arrived without the other teachers) I didn’t feel comfortable elbowing my way through the crown to view the body. After the whole crowd, including many students, passed by, the crowd piled into about 20 cars (in the backs of trucks) and drove to the cemetery. I walked along with many other students and teachers. Once at the cemetery I stood back in the shade so I couldn’t see or hear exactly what was happening, but I can only assume more reading, singing, and lowering the casket into the ground. Plants and flowers were handed out to some people in the crowd to decorate the grave after it was covered. As we all left the cemetery I realized how many people were gathered it had to be close to 300. As I walked away I could see a sea of people in both directions. It was very impressive. I guess many people went back to her house afterwards and they were told how she died and what from, but I didn’t feel the need. All in all it was a very pleasant ceremony. Joana obviously affected many peoples’ lives and she will be missed greatly.