From isitshwala and cabbage to sophistication…The new face of funerals in Zimbabwe

IN Zimbabwe, funerals traditionally carry a sombre tone, with the bereaved family guiding the farewell process. The preparation of the deceased typically occurs at the place of death, involving simple cleansing and dressing, followed by religious and cultural rites and culminating in a community-led burial.

However, evolving trends are reshaping these customs, allowing for funerals that more personally reflect the deceased’s life. Some individuals even pre-plan their own services, opting for a celebration that mirrors their personality and preferences.

Modern funerals may include professional catering, thematic attire, and elaborate decorations, aligning more with life celebrations than traditional mourning rituals. Despite the higher costs associated with these personalised services, many families consider the expense justifiable to honour their loved one’s memory in a fitting manner.

Catering services have become increasingly common at funerals, offering an array of sophisticated dishes served by hired staff. In contrast, less affluent families often adhere to customary practices like serving isitshwala and vegetables and slaughtering livestock for the occasion.

Event planner Chef Abed notes that catering bookings for funerals are on the rise, as these gatherings provide a rare opportunity for families to reunite and commemorate their loved ones during significant life events. This shift reflects a broader cultural transition towards embracing funerals as occasions for both remembrance and reunion.

“Funerals now serve multiple purposes. Families no longer gather as much as they used to and funerals provide them that opportunity to meet usually after a long time since some are based in the diaspora. We carry the burden of preparing good food for the family so they can get time to do other activities and hang out without the stress of thinking about food preparation. Catering for a funeral is no different from catering any other event and we put the same effort as we do with other events so as to maintain our customer satisfaction,” he said

Thematic elements are increasingly becoming a part of funeral services, with personalised T-shirts featuring the image of the departed and a tribute message becoming a popular way to honour their memory. Palesa Cherai, an associate at Oxygenated Branding Hub, reports that they assist approximately 20 families monthly with these commemorative T-shirts, a trend that has gained momentum through social media visibility. This modern approach allows families to celebrate the lives of their loved ones in a unique and personal way, reflecting the individuality of the deceased and the love of those they leave behind.

“Demand for printed T-shirts to use during funerals is high. We receive about 20 families a month who engage our printing services for funerals. On average they require about 40 T-shirts per family and sometimes the number can reach 150 t-shirts per family depending on the financial muscle of the client. Social media influences this trend the most because no one wants to be left out on what’s trending even when it comes to funerals which traditionally are a time of mourning for family but times are changing and people are embracing new trends,” Cherai said.

The aesthetics of funeral services have undergone a transformation, reflecting contemporary preferences and sensibilities. Event decorator Mandla Mdluli observes that there’s a growing acceptance of innovative trends, signalling a departure from traditional practices.

“If you attend funerals these days you will be amazed, sometimes you might even think you entered the wrong venue because the décor that people request for funerals was traditionally for weddings and parties. Social media is greatly influencing a new culture because it is not just the décor but even the people now want to look their best during funerals by wearing fancy clothes and abandoning the traditional way yokuzithoba lokuzehlisa during a funeral. Some have even gone as far as abandoning the custom of displaying the red cloth at their gate to indicate a funeral in progress.

“Some requests by clients are very unusual, I am just glad that the work usually comes out beautiful and it is always satisfying when you have helped a family to say goodbye in the manner that they want. Sometimes people take things like the kind of décor and flowers used to achieve a design for granted but these are things that are of sentimental value to our customers especially when they are in the process of mourning,” he said.