Authors

Raquel Tejada Musté

Position

Enfermera. Máster en Investigación en Ciencias de la Enfermería (Universidad Rovira i Virgili –URV–). Máster en Enfermería Oncológica (Universidad de Barcelona). Especialista en Enfermería Pediátrica por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Departamento de Enfermería URV, Centro Llevant. Xarxa Sanitaria i Social de Santa Tecla. Tarragona

Contact address

Raquel Tejada Musté. C/ Antoni Magriñá, 3º B. 43007 Tarragona.

Contact email: rtejada@xarxatecla.cat

Abstract

Objective: to observe, during the rite of wake, the existence of differences by gender in society, as well as based on age and closeness with the deceased person.
Method: a qualitative research was conducted, using the participant observation technique and a field diary during the wake for a deceased person. The study population was a Spanish family living in Tarragona, Caucasian and middle-class, who were non-practicing Catholics; those relatives not within the nuclear family were also included, as well as friends and acquaintances of the family. The setting of the study was the funeral parlour. The wake lasted 12 hours, and observation was conducted during six of them.
Results: fifty-seven (57) subjects were studied, between 15 and 76-year-old (30 were female and 27 were male). Differences by gender were observed in their behaviour, as well as based on age and relationship with the deceased. These differences determined the way to gather (according to gender and age), the physical location occupied (women were closer to the deceased than men), public manifestations of grief (only in women) and mourning clothes (only in the widow and daughter).
Conclusions: wake is a social interaction, where the manner in which people act varies according to their gender, their relationship with the deceased, and the place where they are situated. Assistants will group together according to gender and age, adopting gender roles predetermined by society and culture.

Keywords:

Differences by gender; wake; funeral culture; anthropology; funeral customs; death; participant observation; qualitative research

Versión en Español

Título:

Diferencias de género en el rito funerario del velatorio