A video of Luyhas from the Wanga community burying an elder in a sitting position to ward off evil spirits emerges (WATCH)

 

Monday, March 13, 2023 – A video of a Luyha elder from the Wanga community being buried in a sitting position has gone viral.

Mourners were forced to cut the coffin and fit the body in a sitting position.

The custom of burying elders in a sitting position is believed to have originated from the precolonial King of the Wanga community, Nabongo Mumia.

The elders are buried in a sitting position directly in front of the house facing the front door.

 According to custom, this does not only signify utmost respect, it allows the dead elder to watch over his homestead even in death.

Even in modern days, the tradition is still observed but with various modifications.

 When King Nabongo Japheth Wambani Rapando died in 2012, his coffin was constructed to look like a reclining chair. 

 It was designed and built before the king passed on.

For these mourners, they had to modify the coffin during the burial ceremony to ensure that the elder was buried in a sitting position.

Watch the viral video.