CREMATION THE BEST OPTION FOR KENYANS ABROAD

In the context of African culture, cremation as a form of disposal of corpses, remains largely a taboo.

For generations, Africans have clung to the practice that the dead must be laid to rest below ground in an elaborate send-off, punctuated by eating, singing and dancing. The tomb must be as close to the family home as possible to allow the spirit to be part of the living even after death; and the remains must be handled with extreme care in case the spirit returns to haunt the living.

However, in developed nations, cremation remains the most preferred option because it is efficient, cheaper and quicker. People in Europe, North America and elsewhere, look at the process of burning bodies to ashes as a way of avoiding prolonged grief; and hastening of closure. Cremation also promotes good land use and protects the environment.

While I would like to see more people commit themselves to cremation in Kenya - and we have seen a few examples including that of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai, the environmentalist per-excellence - I would particularly encourage this form of disposal to Kenyans in the Diaspora.

Kenyans abroad face monumental decisions when one of their own dies. Families at home must be consulted and a decision made on whether to cremate, bury the body overseas or fly out the remains for burial at home. In most cases, families in Kenya prefer the latter - costs and everything else notwithstanding. Once that decision is made, money - lots of money - must be collected for logistics, escorts and other fees.

In the three months I have lived in America, more than a dozen Kenyans have died here and many of their remains flown back to their villages to satisfy the strong cultural requirements. Only a few - among them two Kenyan women who died recently - were cremated.

Considering the high cost of transporting corpses from, let us say America to Kenya, it is my view that time is ripe for families back home to consider cremation as the first option to dispose off corpses of relatives who die abroad.

And because Kenyan Missions overseas do not have funds to help repatriate dead bodies, the burden of preparations is often left in the hands of fellow citizens and friends. It defies logic that Kenyans overseas - who already have excessive burdens on their shoulders - should be expected to contribute money every time a Kenyan dies, especially in these hard economic times. Cremation, at the point of death, is the answer.

And even in choosing between cremation and burying abroad, the former method is undoubtedly the better option partly because graves are expensive to maintain abroad. Cremation is also much cheaper overseas with costs running as low as 700 USD or 50,000 Kenya Shillings. Once cremated, ashes can easily be carried in a carry-on luggage, for conveyance to families back home to do as they wish.

As for Kenyans at home, they must realize that land is becoming increasingly scarce, and the environment is under threat because forests have to be destroyed to pave way for cemeteries. We have reached a point where many of our cemeteries are full and bodies have to be buried on top of other remains.

I know this is a controversial and emotive subject, but I have decided to broach it here so that families back home can understand the difficulties Kenyans in the Diaspora go through; and perhaps a discussion can begin to promote cremation as an alternative to transporting bodies home.

Eventually, the choice becomes a personal one that takes into account religious, cultural and social dispositions; but this is an issue Kenyans can no longer ignore.


And that is my say.