engleski

The Death of Child in Rural Communities Among South Slav (Western Part)

Collected material about death and funeral rites in general shows that the death of a child (baby) and procedure connected with it have not been thoroughly elaborated. It seems as if they were neglected in the process of research. Actually, the child, due to his/her age, does not have any social role and therefore his/her death does not represent a social event.This paper takes into consideration both the premature birth and miscarriage. Death could come upon a child during delivery, during the period of his/her mothers childbed, either before babtism or after it, and all these circumstances influence the funeral rite indicating the degree of a child's integration into community. Considering the lack of information, a survey of various proceedings with an aim of turning death away, protecting the child during pregnancy, delivery and its life is given. The age of a dead child is also reflected in various ways of mourning-prescribed, tolerated ways of grief expression, including a prohibition of any kind of public mourning.

death; child; rural communities; South Slavs; ethnology

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