Professional Mourners: The Ancient Tradition Still Thriving Today

Are professional mourners still employed around the world? Yes, this ancient tradition is still going strong today in many cultures.

Who will be there to mourn your death at your funeral? What happens if you have no family or friends, have died alone, or are the last of your bloodline to pass away? In some countries, a group of people will come to your funeral and mourn your death. These aren’t people you know or have had any impact on during your life; they are simply professional mourners, which is a centuries-long tradition that is still thriving today.

Why do some families hire mourners?

People hired to mourn the death of a perfect stranger seem a bit odd, but some families still hire them. These professionals are hired to increase the drama and hype and guide a family through the songs, prayers, and practices associated with funerals. These people are called moirologists, and they can be used to fill the crowd at a sparse funeral, during which there are only a few family members. This can be thought of as tacky and disrespectful in some cultures, but in others, it is viewed as the final gift to a departed loved one.

What do professional mourners actually do?

This profession isn’t mainstream, but it is useful in some cultures. Most people who are paid to mourn the lives lost of those whom they never knew don’t do this job full-time. It’s a great way to supplement their income, and they can perform several grief-related tasks at the request of the family of the dearly departed. Most of the time, this means filling the crowd and crying, but some offer advanced services for additional fees, including:

• Wail and moan
• Beat at chest
• Tear their own clothing in anguish
• Play a family role, such as a distant cousin
• Jump on the casket as it is lowered
• Refuse to leave the grave
• Visit with real mourners and share stories
• Deliver a eulogy

The main purpose of these mourners is to blend in with funeral guests and not be identified as a paid moirologist.

Can this be a noble profession?

Despite the distaste of professional mourners in America, many European countries still practice this tradition, and those professionals see their work as helping the family grieve and accompany the deceased in their journey to the afterlife. Mourners of the Main peninsula sing songs called “fate” songs that provide the family and those close to the deceased some form of comfort that their deceased friend and relative will go to the good place in the afterlife and not the bad place.

The pandemic kept mourners busy

With more than 1.2 million fatalities around the globe that were caused by COVID-19, mourners were busier than ever during the pandemic. The role of these mourners was more important than ever, leading families through the process of sadness for deceased friends and family members who lost their lives to this terrible virus.

It’s an ancient tradition

The job of professional mourners has been around since the times of ancient Greece and Egypt. In Greece, the principal singer would begin mourning and the chorus would join in. Over time, this profession became exclusive to women. There’s evidence of professional funeral singers in Egypt with two women playing the roles of goddess sisters Isis and Nephthys to help prepare the dead for their passage to the next life.

Modern mourners

This profession still exists today, and in some cultures, professional mourners are an integral part of the passage of the deceased. In Germany, professional funeral speakers called Trauerredner are hired to read eulogies at funerals despite not knowing the person. In some parts of Africa, these mourners are paid to shed tears, and in India, these mourners, typically women from lower-class families, work as professional mourners for wealthy men. They express grief that is not socially acceptable for family members to show.

The long history in China

Hired mourners date back to the Han dynasty in China. This profession is in a cultural resurgence, partly due to the coronavirus pandemic, despite it being banned during the cultural revolution. Some mourners in China go to extremes and even try to lighten the mood with theatrics that might include belly dancing. While most in America would think of this as disrespectful and vulgar, its customary in China and helps people mourn the loss of the deceased person.

Professional mourners are still used in many countries. You won’t likely find them in America, but don’t be surprised to find them among the crowd of you attending a funeral in other countries.