Report of the 12th National Day of the Dead, April 18th '04
And the band played on...
by Michael Jarvis
Early in December last year I went to look at The Crypt on the Green, part of the parish church of St James, at Clerkenwell. It was top of a list of possible places where The Natural Death Centre could host the 12th annual Day of the Dead event. The Crypt took my breath away; I knew that I was not going on to visit other places, however "possible" they might have been.
So it was that a handful of us assembled there just after midday on Sunday April 18th, with a scant hour-and-a-half in which to transform a beautiful, but very empty room into a welcoming venue with a wealth of interesting displays. We helped exhibitors as they arrived on the scene, and they helped us. Somehow, just before the doors were scheduled to open at 2pm, the walls were bedecked, trestles groaned with a dizzying variety of displays, the air was perfumed by flowers, and the band was playing.
'The day to present The Natural Death Handbook Awards to the funeral trade'
The Day of the Dead is loosely based upon the Mexican festival, and the principal aims are to celebrate the lives of departed loved ones in a joyful and optimistic way, and to contemplate our own mortality. Each year the Centre has organised a 'themed' event to take place in the hours before the memorial ceremony, and this year was no exception. It had been decided to make this the day to present the Awards to the funeral trade which had been announced in the new edition of The Natural Death Handbook. Although this was a joint decision made by those of us at the Centre, I was very conscious of the fact that in implementing it I was going to be tinkering with tradition in not having time available for a form of workshop discussion which had been featured in previous years.
Shortly after 2pm the Crypt was satisfyingly filling up, and by 2.15 nearly all available seats were taken by an audience made up of the public and Award winners. Stephanie Wienrich welcomed them, outlined the programme for the afternoon, and introduced our guest speaker Dr Julian Litten. Dr Litten is a scholar and well-known funerary historian (author of The English Way of Death – The Common Funeral Since 1450, pub. Robert Hale) and an Honorary Consultant of the Centre. His introductory talk was a joy in which he encapsulated a brief history of The Natural Death Centre and its role in, amongst other things, championing natural burial, biodegradable coffins, and by no means least, freedom of choice in funeral arrangements.
'As a former Boy Scout, I urge you to "Be Prepared"'
"Be bold," he said, "insist on what you want. Buy your plot now. All lives share two events: birth and death. We have no control over the first. Where we are disposed of is within our control, and it is irresponsible to leave the decision to those who are least able to cope, emotionally with that responsibility. As a former Boy Scout, I urge you to 'Be Prepared'".
We then introduced the audience to the exhibitors whose stalls surrounded the room, and they were free to examine a wide range of products, browse at our bookstall, talk to funeral directors, and to people who run natural burial grounds, whilst listening to a varied selection of classical repertoire so kindly performed for us by 'The Circle of Fifths' wind ensemble. A full list of the exhibitors is set out at the foot of this report.
Those seeking inspiration and the innovative were not disappointed; coffins shown ranged from ARKA's ecopod, made of recycled and biodegradable material, and instantly recognisable from its distinctive cocoon shape, through the award winning Bamboo Eco-coffin, from SAWD, to a new range of 'free-trade' wicker coffins from Go AS You Please. Perhaps, though, the most unusual concept for some of the visitors was the Coffin Cover from Joseph Hey. At first glimpse this is a conventional, fully-fitted, polished wooden coffin. Close inspection reveals its secret! It contains an inner, cardboard coffin. The re-usable outer case is designed for use either opened (when viewing the body) or closed (in a religious service, for example), the cardboard inner is then easily removed for burial or cremation.
'A coffin made form recycled timber and then decorated in his workshop'
Those interested in artistic memorials were able to discuss services provided by Will and Lottie O'Leary, stone-cutters from Wales; Mary Dale from the Stile Company had visual displays of the commemorative features that they promote and execute in collaboration with local artists, and sculptor and calligrapher Paul Flack brought various craft designs, a video display, and an example of a coffin made from recycled timber and then decorated in his workshop. Ray Ward from Herongate, Warwick Clark from Olney Green, and Catherine Hunt from Tiverton were lucky in that, as people running natural burial grounds, they had much less to set up, but their stands were no less attractive for that, with wonderful and inspiring photographs showing the real beauty and tranquillity of their sites.
After everyone had taken the opportunity to visit all of these exhibitors and to chat with them about their work and services, I introduced the presentation of the Natural Death Handbook Awards for 2004. Awards which were announced to coincide with the publication of the Handbook's fourth edition. Not all of the award winners were able to be present, of course. Indeed, some were hosting celebrations of their own in their own areas, and we had listed these on our website.
After explaining the decision-making process and the very significant influence on this of feedback from the general public with their opinions of helpful, innovative and reasonably-priced service, the award winners were announced, and received framed certificates from Dr Litten. All then said a few words about their personal experiences in helping people to obtain the services that they wished for, and it was very noticeable that all clearly see their role as one of empowerment – assisting the public in getting what they want. (The full list of award winners is published on the Natural Death Centre website, and is contained in the Natural Death Handbook).
Although the day's programme was advertised in advance, I think that a small number of those who attended may have missed some of the interactive activities of earlier years. If so, I am sorry but I do feel that it is crucial that we celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by the award winners, without whose dedicated work much of the Natural Death Centre's progress would not have been possible.
A break for tea, with a recital of his work by Paradox the Poet (one of Paul Flack's team) and a set by The Circle of Fifths, led us to the memorial ceremony. Josefine Speyer, a founder of the Natural Death Centre and Nicholas Albery's widow, had created a little chapel in the corner of the Crypt, which housed the memorial board on which guests had pinned photographs, notes and poems. Those who remained for this final part of the day then sat informally around a central candle and shared memories of loved ones with a few words each, in turn. A humble, quiet, reflective, and gentle end to the day.
For exhibitors' full contact details, please see The Natural Death Handbook:
€ ARKA Original Funerals, 39-41 Surrey St, Brighton
€ Coffin Covers Ltd, 470 Great Horton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire
€ Great Bradley Cottage Natural Burial Ground, Templeton, Tiverton, Devon
€ Olney Green Burial Ground, Yardley Rd, Olney, Bucks
€ Paul Flack, tel 01992 574534
€ SAWD Partnership, Highsted Farm, Highsted Valley, Sittingbourne, Kent
€ Stile Company, tel 01295 780372
€ Will & Lottie O'Leary, Upper House, Knuclas, Knighton, Powys
€ Woodland & Wildlife Conservation Co., Birch Hall Farm, Coppice Row, Theydon Bois, Essex
The Natural Death Centre, 12a Blackstock Mews, Blackstock Road, London N4 2BT (tel 0871 288 2098; email: contact@naturaldeath.org.uk; web: www.naturaldeath.org.uk).
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