A Good Death

With all the superstition surrounding death, it’s not surprising that the topic is rarely discussed openly in Singapore. But three stakeholders say that more should be done to encourage an open and honest dialogue about mortality, as these difficult conversations can benefit both the living — and the dead

- Hillary Kang

There are plenty of superstitions surrounding death and funerals in Asia. Some think wearing a red string around the finger can provide protection against evil spirits lingering at a funeral. Others will wash themselves with water that’s been infused with pomegranate leaves to cleanse away negative energies. A person who’s had a death in their family is barred from attending any social events for a while: If they disregard tradition and attend, say, a wedding, the blame for any potential tension between the newlyweds (even worse, a divorce), will be placed squarely on them.

It’s understandable, then, why the subject of death remains taboo in places like Singapore. But experts say that sweeping such issues under the carpet only leads to “unnecessary suffering” for both the living and the dying.

ANDY HO

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT NTU

On the importance of planning one’s death

Professor Andy Ho is well versed in these superstitions. For the last six years, he has taught a course at the Nanyang Technological University called The Last Dance: Psycho-social-cultural perspectives of Death, Dying and Bereavement. As part of the course, students are made to experience their own funerals — they write their own eulogies, and later, they participate in a mass funeral where they lie on the ground beneath a white sheet and have their own eulogy read to them. When it first appeared on the news in 2018, public opinion was split.