Funerals in Socialist Cuba 271
deceased’s family members by creating the impression that the
deceased died happily. This can be seen as care directed towards the
living; helping them to cope with their loss and sadness. After being
prepared, the body is set on display in the coffin on a central table in a
room in the funeral home for mourners to come and pay their
respects.
Wakes are most often quiet, simple occasions where no religious
symbolism is in evidence. There is no serving of food or drink, and
the only decorations in the room are a solitary flower arrangement
and the wreaths brought by mourners.^5 These wreaths are often uni-
form in kind, and only the ribbon displaying the giver’s name sepa-
rates them from each other. Kin members and friends and colleagues
of the deceased tend to bring wreaths. They are placed surrounding
the coffin at the wake, and they follow the coffin to the cemetery after
the wake.
Coffins are primarily plain and simple wooden boxes lacking any
decoration or ornamentation.^6 There are usually no other objects
except flowers placed around the coffin or on it at the wake (nor
inside it at the cemetery at the burial). However, in the funeral of a sig-
nificant state personality that I attended, poetry written by him was
placed around the coffin at the wake—a practice reflecting his life
work as a writer and as the head editor of the second newspaper in the
country. These were objects that epitomized his achievements as a
prominent socialist. Particularly significant state personalities receive a
Cuban flag on top of their coffin to display their special status as a
“Heroes of the Republic” (Heroes de la República) due to their notable
socialist achievements. The objects that are used at the wake are pri-
marily socialist in character and tend to emphasize the deceased’s
position as a representative of the official state virtues.- However, in wakes for important state personalities, coffee and cheap, low-alcohol
Cuban beer may be served. - However, at the funeral of a significant state personality, the coffin was more elabo-
rate, featuring a glass top through which mourners could view the deceased. I have also
heard that children are buried in white coffins, but have not managed to verify this infor-
mation at the time of writing.