Millicent Hungwe
In many Zimbabwean communities, individuals who die by suicide are often denied the dignity of traditional funeral rites, facing a burial marked by silence and rejection.
Instead of being honored and remembered, these individuals are interred without the customary prayers or community support, reflecting deep-rooted cultural beliefs aimed at discouraging suicide.
The process is starkly different from typical funerals. Families are often prohibited from allowing the body to pass through the family yard—a significant step in traditional funerals.
Instead, the deceased are taken directly from the mortuary to the grave, bypassing farewell speeches and hymns.
Personal belongings, such as clothing and blankets, are buried with them, serving as a cultural marker of their separation from the living.
Such was the case for Lilian Rusike, a young girl from Mucheke who took her life in January.
Her burial was devoid of eulogies or expressions of sorrow, with her coffin transported directly from the hospital to the grave, accompanied by only a handful of silent mourners.
Similarly, a father and daughter in Masvingise, Gutu, who also died by suicide, faced a cold and rapid burial.
In adherence to cultural practices, their belongings were buried with them, emphasizing their complete severance from their former lives.
Prosper Dohwai, the Masvingo Provincial Chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA), said that these practices stem from traditional beliefs that view suicide as an improper death.
“By giving them a normal burial, we imply acceptance of their actions, which we aim to discourage,” he said.
The graves of those who die by suicide are often dug deeper than usual, symbolically distancing them from the living world.
Chief Ndanga born Wilson Makono supports this practice, insisting that allowing such spirits to return is taboo and that these customs serve as a societal warning against normalizing suicide.
However, Pastor Emmanuel Anesu Mangwarira of Real Word and Grace Church argues that while cultural practices may guide burials, they are not rooted in spiritual teachings.
“There is no scripture defining how to bury someone who has committed suicide,” he notes, emphasizing a more compassionate perspective.
The Catholic Church also faces challenges due to these cultural beliefs.
Father Oscar Chagweda, Catholic VICAR General, shared an experience where a planned Mass for Masvingo Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer Pius Nyatsanza who died by suicide was canceled due to family objections.
Pius was interred with all his personal belongings including the brand new laptop he was using at work and cellphone.
He added that “the Church believes in the right to a sacramental burial for everyone,” underscoring the importance of compassion over cultural stigma.
In a society where tradition heavily influences death customs, those who take their own lives are stripped of their dignity in death.
Their memories fade into silence, their names spoken with discomfort, and their spirits excluded from the community they left behind.
