What’s a living wake? The end‑of‑life ritual that lets you say goodbye on your own terms |
What would attending your own wake be like? To say goodbye to the people in your life in person? What stories would you tell in your own eulogy?
While still relatively uncommon, living wakes are an emerging end-of-life rite in Australia. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who want to share one more cuppa before they go, they offer a final opportunity to come together.
There are multiple initiatives increasing death literacy in Australia. These include events such as Dying to Know Day, a rise in death cafes (where people can ask questions, tell stories and talk about death) and death doulas, as well as national advocacy around voluntary assisted dying.
My ongoing ethnographic research has involved extensive interviews and time spent with families and deathcare workers around Australia, particularly those involved with living wakes.
My findings show people are becoming more confident and willing to discuss, plan and craft these personalised end-of-life rituals.
What is a living wake?
A living wake goes by many names, and sometimes no name at all. It can be called a living funeral, a celebration of life, an “awakening”, a bon voyage party, or even a creatively personalised name such as the “Festival of Barry’s Life”.
Regardless of the name used, it is a........