Funeral services....

When I came to Malawi almost 18 years ago now there were funerals every day because of the HIV AIDS pandemic. In those days there were no anti-retroviral drugs. As a result many coffin workshops sprung up, some with quite amazing names like Heaven Bound Coffins or Energy Coffins!!

Recently it has become a tradition to build a monument over the grave and so these Funeral service places have now become popular! It costs a fortune to get these elaborate structures made and people feel under pressure to be better than their neighbours, and so they go into a lot of debt.

Even a funeral is an expensive business as the whole community attends even if you don't know the person - and everyone has to be fed (which is probably why everyone goes)!!

As I write the lights have gone out - one of the joys of living in Malawi!! Thank you for your lovely comments on yesterdays blip - am going to try and catch up with some of your blips this evening!