External Influences on Traditional Burial Practices in Idoma

Abstract

The Idoma people believe that death is inevitable but not a final end; rather, it is the beginning of a journey to a final resting place. Burials are performed with culturally guided rules and procedures. The preparation and burial rituals of a deceased person is regarded as a right for the dead and it isa collaborative responsibility of the family, relatives, friends and the community as the case may be. This paper adapted the descriptive and analytical research method complemented with data obtained from relevant articles, published works, books and internet sources. Findings in this paper are that the burial practices contribute to give the ldoma people their essence and value and contribute to the appreciation and meaning of the afterlife of the dead. This study concludes that apart from helping to create an understanding of afterlife of the dead, burial practices give an interpretation of the life of people in relation to handling the remains of the deceased. It is recommended that there should be a check on the foreign influences by looking at what brought them into being, their effect and the way to merge the two without bringing any form of ignominy to the people.