Nice piece Wayne. I wholeheartedly agree about the personal and political significance of extending funeral rites to nonhumans. I hope you, Priya, and everyone else Lisa touched find some solace in it (and am sorry i can't be there in person).
I do, however, think it is important to note that funeral rites aren't unique to humans...
So much of the pain we cause nonhumans is based in justifications of human exceptionalism... As such, I think it's helpful to frame funeral rites as indicative of our animality, rather than our humanity.
Sending heartfelt prayers and thoughts to you and Priya. Holding a funeral for Lisa is so beautiful and inspirational and a truly exemplary way of demonstrating that animals are sentient beings, not objects, products or specimens. Thinking of you at this special time. Lisa’s love and spirit remain, in another form.
Nice piece Wayne. I wholeheartedly agree about the personal and political significance of extending funeral rites to nonhumans. I hope you, Priya, and everyone else Lisa touched find some solace in it (and am sorry i can't be there in person).
I do, however, think it is important to note that funeral rites aren't unique to humans...
https://www.myguaranteedplan.ca/funeral-preplanning-news1
So much of the pain we cause nonhumans is based in justifications of human exceptionalism... As such, I think it's helpful to frame funeral rites as indicative of our animality, rather than our humanity.
Sending heartfelt prayers and thoughts to you and Priya. Holding a funeral for Lisa is so beautiful and inspirational and a truly exemplary way of demonstrating that animals are sentient beings, not objects, products or specimens. Thinking of you at this special time. Lisa’s love and spirit remain, in another form.