My Actifit Report Card: January 9 2025: Attending a Burial Ceremony

Yesterday, I attended a memorable funeral. It was the funeral of a relative, a woman named Patience.
She passed away at the age of 82.

My family and I arrived early, bringing along some cartons of non-alcoholic drinks. The day was bright, and the weather was cool, perfectly graced by the gentle breeze of the harmattan season. The environment looks busy. I saw some people setting up various musical instruments, while others were decorating the canopies.

My mum had to go look for her sister in the kitchen, and I quickly followed. Upon getting to the kitchen, I got confused about what was happening. Everyone was busy with something or other. I saw some men butchering cow meat.

There were several pots of food on the fire, and everyone looked busy with something or other.

Actually, the kitchen wasn’t made for guys. The girls were busy doing what they knew best. I saw some of my younger cousins helping out with the little tasks they could manage. There were several food coolers and eating utensils, likely belonging to different groups or associations that might attend the funeral.

I had to leave to secure a seat for myself, as people were arriving in large numbers and the environment was becoming crowded. However, on my way out, I came across something.


It is called Nkponala, it is a type of gun commonly found in traditional events such as funeral ceremonies or cultural rites. The sound is usually loud, deep, and reverberating. It is a powerful blast that echoes through the surroundings and it's thunderous boom can startle or draw immediate attention.
I finally found a seat under a mango tree and relaxed. It wasn’t long before I started hearing the sounds of gunfire blasting in the air. At that moment, I knew the corps had arrived.

A group of men with musical instruments carried the casket into the compound. The young man in front was dancing skillfully with the casket on his head. His performance grabbed everyone’s attention, and people gathered to watch him as he danced. Finally, the casket was laid down, and some traditional rites were performed. The corpse was then taken to the Anglican church, just a short distance away, for the funeral service.

The church looks old but is well-ventilated. The choir’s voices echo throughout the church as they sing the funeral hymns. The service lasted for a few hours, and the corpse was laid to rest.
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Daily Activity, Walking