On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

I was reading something in Rick Bragg about a funeral custom, and I thought this might be a good place to discuss those.

My mother always touched the corpse, so she wouldn't have nightmares about the dead.

My grandmother said that if you dreamed about a dead person, it meant it was going to rain.

They seem to conflict, a little. ;^)

I'm from an Irish heritage family in Kentucky, and we treat a death as a celebration. We celebrate the deceased relative's life, and everyone brings food and tells stories about the person - usually with funny or wry parts. And there's drinking. Not too much, but toasts. It's a good thing- because any wake to me seems to be about the living - the kinship, and the kin.

There are a lot of great books on the culture and symbolism of death and burial if any of you fancy a bit of further reading on this matter...

Death in England: An Illustrated History

Bereavement and Commemoration

Great Deaths: Grieving, Religion, and Nationhood in Victorian and Edwardian Britain (British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Monographs)

Death, Mourning, and Burial

I know this is the Southern Literary Trail so apologies for no specifically American texts, but a lot of death customs originated in Georgian and Victorian Britain (hence some of the more geographically specific books) and were transferred to the US in the 19th and 20th century.

I had family visiting. I am catching up on our discussions! I think we rush the traditions of death and aftermath of Burial of folks today. In my area,the viewing is a hour before the funeral/Memorial. What happened to the 3 days.. or more if Family came from a far place? Can we still have them at home for the respects to be made? In a room? Okay, this is old tradition but celebrate the love of friends and family~no rush job.

In small towns in East Texas, the order of the day is reversed, but I don't know the origin of this custom. Burial is in the morning, followed by large luncheon at a favorite restaurant, with the memorial service around 2pm and a reception at the church afterward.

This is not the order of the day in West Texas where we have the funeral, the burial, and then the reception.

Has anyone read a book that talks about this? I can’t recall any from my reading experiences.

http://www.appalachiantalk.org/2019/0...

Laura wrote: "Has anyone read a book that talks about this? I can’t recall any from my reading experiences.

http://www.appalachiantalk.org/2019/0..."

I just read the article you linked. I must say this was a new one to me. I'll continue to dig. Ahem.
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One lady mentioned a book by Bobbie Ann Mason, Feather Crowns. Like you, new to me as well. Odd we’ve never seen a reference in all that we have read.

Laura wrote: "One lady mentioned a book by Bobbie Ann Mason, Feather Crowns. Like you, new to me as well. Odd we’ve never seen a reference in all that we have read."

Yes. I checked out Feather Crowns which concerns a Kentucky woman bears quintuplets in 1900. A goodreads reviewer indicates feather crowns specifically refers to the superstitionset out in the article you mentioned. Quite peculiar!