40 Dei - Easter Sunday

Charleon’s mother died at 5.15 am. Charleon is a founder member of WSB who opted out of this play because both his mother and father were likely to die in the coming months. The hospital had confused her records with that of another lady and could not issue a death certificate until a doctor arrived to sort out the muddle. Undeterred, we drove to the cemetery where there were several grave diggers who confirmed that there was one burial scheduled for 1 o’clock; a woman who had been in her house for a day and a half already. So that one would have to go first. We found the municipal officer at his house and he was willing to take the fee for the burial without the death certificate. In fact everyone was respectful and understanding which was very moving. The costs of a funeral devour at least a month’s salary of a well paid local staff. Most likely 2 months. Back to Charlie’s house and many more family and friends had gathered. A phone call to say the doctor had sorted it out and that Charlie shouldn’t stress about picking up the certificate. Another phone call to say the other woman’s funeral would take place after Charlie’s mother’s. It was a poignant affair even for those of us not convinced by Christianity. Charlie’s dad, frail, seated on a small red stool surrounded by family and quite a good turn out given that many would have had plans or headed out over Easter. I remember Charlie’s Dad on the very first tour Wan Smolbag made to Charlie’s home island of Ambrym. Probably in his early 50s and me 29 but so much more agile than me across the stony rock strewn beach! This section of the cemetery getting more and more populated as it moves up to the boundary fence, the graves closer together than elsewhere across the cemetery as if there is an awareness it wont last too much longer. And two or three graves dug out of the stony ground ready for the coming funerals. What hard work it is being a grave digger. As they told Charlie earlier when we saw them, if the other woman was being buried at 1 they’d need a half hour’s rest at least in between. They shovel the sand back in as everyone stands around silent except for the cries of the daughters, ( no ,Mummy, no go…)

Having buried my own mother in England last year I am struck by the differences. A swift cremation for her at the press of the button followed by a service in the local church; the vicar got her name wrong at one point. But she lay in the funeral director’s parlour for over two weeks, which I was so grateful for because it meant I could sit with her even though I couldn’t get back to UK for a week. Although it was expensive, the expenses were taken out of the will and there is a fund you could have applied for if you were below a certain level of income….