This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most striking changes is the way we approach death. Traditionally, death was a grand affair, with elaborate ceremonies and mourning periods that could last for weeks or even months. But with the pandemic, things have changed dramatically.
According to XN Iraki, writing for The Standard on May 6, 2020, 'Covid-19 has changed all that. We are now buried in the shortest time possible. The crowd is capped to 15. The weekly meetings are virtual, the contributions are virtual and the politicians' platform is gone.'
Iraki notes that even the tradition of repatriating Kenyans for burial may be a thing of the past. 'Covid-19 could change that, you are buried where you die; in silence, the earth is the earth, it does not matter where you are.'
But while the pandemic has brought about a sense of helplessness, it has also deepened our appreciation for life and its purpose. As Iraki puts it, 'Death equates us; the affluent and hustlers. Covid -19 has made that too plain.'
So, will we return to our traditional ways of handling death when the pandemic is over? Iraki thinks it's unlikely. 'My answer is 'very unlikely'. We could look back in future and ask; how did a small invisible virus change traditions that had defied wars and time? How did death change death?'
As the world continues to navigate the challenges of Covid-19, one thing is clear: the pandemic has brought about a profound shift in how we view and handle death.
