The ethnography of a funeral

Last Sunday Mr Thomas passed away. He was only 49. I didnt really know this man but everybody had a good word to say. After he died all friends and relatives come in the house that must provide them with beer, food and whatever serves their well-being and convenience. They dont undertake the corps of the man the day after as we do. They expect for all relatives and friends to come, some of them may be in St Lucia, in Florida or in Canada. Usually this takes 3-4 days. In the meantime those who arrived and others from the neighborhood gather every night in the house of the dead to have a good time in his memory. Some band was playing the most classic reggae and ska music with guitar and a small steel-pan player was giving the rhythm. I could smell the burnt essences and spices giving a ritualistic character to the event. "The smell of death" an old lady explained to me when she saw from the color of my skin that I was a foreigner, frankly scared about her age. "The smell of death will be in our houses one day", she stared at me significantly maximizing the size of her eyes, which were all-red from crying.. "Yes, this is for sure", she added having her eyes shut and moving her head compliantly up and down. I thought that I was smelling the fragrance of death but (please dont laugh) I started smelling something different at that moment that made the old lady look like a crazy witch rather than a wise woman. That smell was reminiscent of... actually it was some marijuana smoke in the air. I saw shadows in back yard. When I approached I realized Mr Thomas' brother, Jale, smoking weed with some friends. "Eight months of Masters studies in Holland bear fruit" I thought. "Now my nose is adequately trained to trace weed in incenses". After a while the old lady joined us shouting "One more please!". Then I understood why her eyes were red.

I have to inform about one more thing. I start getting acquainted with people here. More and more I listen people calling me with my name, instead of "hey, white guy" and 'good-morning George' starts taking over the 'good-day man'.

As for the research, I had another interview today. They say that you must start feeling your research becoming complete when you get the same or similar answers all the time. I estimated 8 to 10 interviews in my proposal but now I'm getting up to 20! Het is goed zo!