PERHAPS a lot of us Filipinos living abroad would have a collective memory of how “Todos Los Santos” was observed in the Philippines where many of us grew up. This would be totally different from the “Halloween” culture of today’s generation — no costumes or Halloween parades and party for us. October 31 and November 1 would a time when we meet with family at cemeteries to remember our loved ones who have gone ahead of us.
However, in the past decade, we have seen a shift in the way people choose to be laid to rest. It is no longer an automatic burial of the remains; instead the option of being cremated has now been accepted by many Filipino families, both here in the United States and in the Philippines.
I had first hand experience on this when we sent off my brother David and my Daddy just in the past two years. This happened in the Philippines at the Sanctuarium near Araneta Avenue.
We had a “lamay” (wake) for them for a few days, with their remains in the caskets for family and friends to pay their last respects. As in the traditional wake, we had masses and eulogies, with people watching over the remains of our dearly departed 24/7, until it was time for cremation.
This is where the practice deviates from tradition. After the final mass and blessing, the remains were brought to the crematory level. There was a final viewing but during this time, the body was already brought out of the casket and was made to lie down on a “stretcher” for family members to pray over and bid them goodbye for the last time through a touch of the hand, a last hug, a last kiss, a last whisper of words of affection. Stems of flowers were also offered before the “stretcher” was rolled out to the crematory for incineration.
The process of incineration
This is a detailed description of how it is done, as described by cremationresource.org:
During incineration, the body is exposed to a column of flames produced by a furnace fueled by natural gas, oils, propane, etc.
As the corpse is placed in a casket or container (preferably prepared from a combustible material), the container burns down.
Next, the heat dries the body and burns it until it is reduced to skeletal remains and bone fragments. It is then collected in a tray or pan (tiny residue may still remain in the chamber and mix with the particles from subsequent cremations) and allowed to cool for sometime.
Finally, the dried bone fragments are further ground into a finer sand-like consistency. The machine used for this pulverization is called cremulator.
On an average, it takes about one to three hours to cremate a human body, thereby reducing it to 3-7 pounds of cremains. The cremation remains are usually pasty white in color.
These remains are transferred in a cremation urn and given to the relative or representative of the deceased. If you do not have an urn, the crematorium may return the ashes in a plastic box or default container.
The convenience of cremation
Some people indicate their will to be cremated through written documents or just through a solemn “bilin” to be respected and followed by family.
Many, like my Dad and my brother, follow the traditional viewing practices before the body is cremated, and then the pulverized remains or ashes in the urn are interred in the cemetery.
Others choose to have their ashes scattered in the sea or other favorite places.
Some have part of their ashes kept in ornamental pendants and given to immediate family members.
There are those who choose to be cremated before memorial services as they wish to be remembered how they were when they were alive and strong by their family and friends.
Many kababayans living abroad also choose to be cremated because it is easer and cheaper to have their ashes be brought back home to the Philippines instead of their remains in casket.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS? Would you choose to be cremated when your time comes?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
