I was thinking the other day about the customs and traditions we all learned. It was either in books or on the job about how to conduct services. In a Jewish service, there's the Shiva Stool, Kaddish and Mourner's Buttons. Catholic services require a funeral pall. We have to know about communion and other parts of the Mass of Christian Burial, numerous other rules for conducting services for various different nationalities, and religious affiliations.

My dad told me of a service he conducted back in 1963 when he opened our family business. The family didn't have any money. They wished to barter. He would get the burial benefit from Social Security and one horse in payment for services. That is not strange being from New Mexico where horses and other animals are valuable. The service was to take place on the Navajo Reservation, back at the Hogan (a Traditional Navajo Home), dad in the hearse and the driver of the pickup (for bringing the horse). After the service they drove cross country where there are no roads just wheel paths cut into the earth. They arrived at the grave on Navajo land with no appearance of other graves. This grave was very big, something like 14 feet wide and 17 feet long.

His heart sank for two reasons; one, it is customary to lower the casket into the grave using ropes only, no lowering device or any other equipment, and two because of the language barrier he started thinking maybe the family thought that they had purchased the hearse, for it would have fit in the grave. The horse he could see was being led by a rope toward them, the graveside service began partly in English with a clergyman and partly in the native language.

The casket was lowered into the grave, along with clothing, blankets, and other personal effects. Someone then motioned to the man bringing the horse. It was brought close, dad then motioned to his assistant to bring the truck. Then a shot rang out. He turned quickly to see what happened and saw the horse falling into the grave. He asked why. It was explained that the deceased needed his horse in the after world. The pallbearers then started covering the grave by hand.

Dad was again taken across country several miles. They stopped at the field where the sheep were being herded. Not knowing a lot about sheep, he thought that he was being given some sheep that were in poor health. The sheep were waddling not walking very straight. Dad and the widow had been walking in and out of the herd. They would pick one, and continue to walk. Then another would be picked. Later when he arrived back home he went and sold the sheep to my uncle who is a rancher. About two weeks later all of the sheep had lambs! He realized that the family had given him the best ewes as payment for the funeral.

Because of this story, I became very interested in the traditions of the Native American people. There are several native peoples. Most have different traditions based on their beliefs, religion and tribe. In New Mexico, we have several types of natives: Navajo, Ute, Apache and Pueblo Indians. The Pueblos are two types the Twea (Tea-wa) and Tawa (Ta-wa). Around my area, we have Isleta, San Felipe, Sandia, Zuni and Santa Ana. You can tell the type of Pueblo and Reservation Indian by what they do. Some are farmers and ranchers, but most are artisans making jewelry or clay pots, figurines, weavers and painters.

Most attend churches in their pueblo land. In addition they have their native religious beliefs with their own gods. They combine the two worlds going back and forth between. The Spanish conquistadors brought Catholicism. The white man brought the Protestant faith. Within their native beliefs it is believed that the spirit of the artist is in the article created. The hand-woven blanket or rug design must have a way for the spirit of the weaver to escape so you can tell an authentic native rug or blanket if it has a thread sticking out. At many of the old cemeteries one would find several clay pots in pieces broken for the spirit to be released.

In New Mexico, death certificates can be signed by physicians, medical investigators (coroners) and a governor of a tribe (all Pueblo Indians have a governor) or president of the Navajo nation. If a death occurs on tribal land, it is up to the tribal governor to allow either the state police or the medical investigator to enter. All tribes are sovereign, they are not part of the New Mexico governmental structure, however they are a part of the federal structure.

As far as the family, most are matriarchal, when we make arrangements for the most part it is through the wife or the mother or grandmother of the deceased. About half of the Pueblo Indians care for their own dead with no funeral director involved. The family will take the deceased usually in their truck back to the home of the deceased and place him or her on the floor facing east to west, on a native blanket. Depending on the deceased's stature in the tribe, his face may be painted in the traditional nature. A powdery substance is placed on the face of all the dead usually made of corn, traditional prayers and maybe dances are completed.

The following morning, the body is placed on a board covered with another blanket taken to church for a service (the church is on Indian land). The pallbearers are the only ones that can handle or touch the body and the grave. They are kept separate from all other members of the community, and they must be cleansed following the services. The home also will need cleansing, by smoking (the burning of a certain type of plant or bush) usually done by the medicine man. After the burial, all family members gather for a meal. Prior to that meal portions of all food items must be gathered in order to remember the spirit ancestors.

In a Navajo service funeral directors are requested, Navajos are, for the most part, weavers and jewelers. First, a Navajo blanket is placed in the casket. The family provides two or more sets of clothing–one to be worn by the deceased, the second to be placed in the casket. Food, water and items that may have been valuable to the deceased also are placed in the casket. Because of the native beliefs, everything that is made has the spirit of the maker in it, and must be cut or broken in order for the spirit of the maker to be released.

The funeral service is done in both the English and Navajo languages. The items other than the clothes are placed in the casket after the funeral service and prior to the graveside service. All present must leave the church except for the immediate family, funeral directors and minister. After the graveside service, we hold a shovel filled with soil and all people in attendance walk around the grave counter clockwise sprinkling the dirt on the casket. If the casket is a sealer casket, the end cap is not placed on or the casket is not sealed at all so that the spirit may be released. When the grave is dug it is checked several times that no foot prints are left in or around the grave so the spirit guide will not take the wrong spirit.

My dad and I have come to love and respect all of the different traditions and customs we have had the privilege to see and be a part of. As funeral directors, we are given a great gift in being asked to share in one of the most personal trials a family or group must face. Funeral directors must continue to talk about respect for the dead, celebration of one's life, holding sacred dignity and assisting the family with caring for the dignity of the deceased. We must always make every effort to assist whether we are asked to participate in or just stand back and watch as the services unfold for those we care for. It is our responsibility to make sure that all traditions and customs of people no matter where they are being served is upheld to the highest degree.