S6 Ep1: How different cultures deal with death and grief

In the first episode of season six, journalist and author Erica Buist opens up about how the sudden death of her father-in-law forced her to confront her own mortality. Her quest to understand how different cultures approach death took her across seven countries, from Mexico’s Day of the Dead to Indonesia’s corpse parades.

Erica, author of This Party’s Dead, explores how these cultures celebrate death and allow grief to be expressed in ways that are communal and meaningful, in stark contrast to the isolated, sanitised practices common in the West. Along the way, she shares insights about grief, the role of humour in coping, and the liberating power of cultural rituals.

This episode invites us to rethink our relationship with death and grief, and to consider how cultural practices can help us navigate death in a more open, less fearful way.
Don’t miss this conversation that challenges taboos and reminds us of the importance of shared rituals in our journey with death.

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Read more about Erica and her travels: ericabuist.com

This episode of The Life and Death podcast was produced by Olivia Swift and it’s a Reform Radio production.