Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Funeral of Ben Manglona

The funeral for Ben Manglona was held today. On Tinian, funerals last most of the day. The services begin around 7am, when the body is moved from the Tinian Health Center to the Catholic church. There is a viewing and a mass is held. The funeral was held at 11am and lasted about an hour.

This was the largest funeral we have seen since living on Tinian. He was a much loved and well respected member of the community. Cars were parked all around the church and up the street on all sides.

After the service the procession came out of the church, leading the casket and pall-bearers

They had decorated a truck to be used as a hearse to carry the body from the church to the Tinian Cemetery for internment.




After the casket was loaded into the truck, it drove to the cemetery, followed by everyone either walking or in their cars.

A tent had been placed over the grave site in preparation for the grave site service.

Everyone had one last chance to pay their respects to Ben. Many placed flowers on the casket as they came by the grave to pay their respects, and many of the men did something I had never seen before: they removed their shirt ties from their necks and placed them on the casket!
All of this time, the people who had gathered were singing a beautiful song in Chamorro.
After the service was over, the family returned home with many of their friends and extended family to eat.
Terri and I got to know Ben a little since we have lived here. He was our landlord, and one of Terri's patients. We will miss him!

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