The Evolution of African Funerals in Democratic Dispensation- Some Perspectives from Kenya and South Africa

The Evolution of African Funerals in Democratic Dispensation- Some Perspectives from Kenya and South Africa

Elijah Baloyi & Telesia Musili

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 32 pp.3831 – 3841
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561432 | Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

Death, dying, and funerals have been processed and conducted within the frameworks of particular cultures and religions around the world, and Africans are no exception to this practice. This paper examines how the adoption of the colonial agenda led to the displacement of certain African epistemologies regarding funeral practices. It exposes why Africans are burying their own people outside the confines of their cultures and religions. The scope of this study has been narrowed to South Africa and Kenya to explore the erosion of traditional burial and mourning practices, which resulted from the colonial agenda and led to the dislocation and discarding of African practices. The qualitative data utilised in this paper were amassed through participant observation of several burials witnessed in both Kenya and South Africa, combined with a critical review of secondary resources. It is argued that the transformational agenda of decolonisation does not ignore or undermine the voices of all people within rural communities, regardless of age or social status. The paper thus recommends an inclusive engagement with the shifts affecting burial rites, to the extent of including the gatekeepers within the community and incorporating these phenomena into teaching curricula. It should be noted that this article is part of an ongoing research project entitled Erosion of African Burial Traditions, based in Limpopo, South Africa. The intention of this study is not only to make a comparison but also to argue how African identity has been influenced and to chart new pathways towards decolonisation in the face of inevitable change.

Keywords: African Funerals, Modernity, Mourning rituals, Kenyans, South Africans.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Baloyi Magezi Elijah, is a C2 NRF rated Full professor (UNISA) in Practical Theology and holds PhD in Practical Theology from University of Pretoria. A former Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology and a former chair of the Board of Research Institute of Theology and Religion, Unisa. He is presently a Research Professor for Research Institute of Theology and Religion, Unisa. He is first black theological academic to be awarded Center of Theological Inquiry membership under the topic “Thriving in Diverse Contexts” in Princeton, USA. His current project with CONTRALESA is “Critical reflection on the erosion of post-colonial African Funeral Traditions.” He initiated Erosion Research Team across some African countries that is working on this project.

Telesia Kathini Musili is a distinguished lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a research fellow at the University of South Africa. With a profound commitment to exploring the nuanced intersections of religion—both physical and virtual—ethics, media, and ecology, her scholarly work critically addresses contemporary issues impacting women and society. Telesia’s research interests extend to the ethics of artificial intelligence in academia and the ethical dimensions of religious violence. She examines how these fields intersect to shape ethical social dynamics, particularly within African societies. Through her academic endeavors, Telesia aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the moral and societal implications of religious discourses and media representations, advocating for greater inclusivity and sustainability. Her work seeks to illuminate the complexities of ethical decision-making in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, emphasizing the need for responsible engagement with issues relating to gender disparities and technology in academic and religious contexts.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Baloyi, Elijah, and Telesia, Musili.“The Evolution of African Funerals in Democratic Dispensation- Some Perspectives from Kenya and South Africa.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 3831 – 3841 , https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561432.