The Splendid Ending of A Hani Life

Funeral is the last business a person ever experiences as the ending of his life. Hani people take this business in quite a special way--a dead Hani's life blooms as a flower for the last time on the funeral. Since the birth of a life remarks the union of his soul and body, the death, on the contrary, is their separation. So the funeral is held to farewell the lost one's soul returning to their ancestors. Instead of behaving sadly from the beginning to the end, Hani people are used to singing and dancing on the funeral as a respect to the dead man's happy living on this earthy world during his lifetime.

The most splendid program on Hani people's funeral is known as "Mo Cuocuo", which is held only for the eldest generation of the family. Data shows that the pronunciation "Mo" in Hani means the respected dead people, while "Cuo" means to dance. "Mo Cuocuo" together gets the meaning of dancing farewell to the respected dead. On such a grand funeral, "MoPi" (Hani priest) would recite Hani people's history twice; first time from the beginning of Hani as a nation to the end of the dead man's life, that is, from the description of Hani people's originating holy land "NoMaAMei" to their emigrating from here to there until the very place the dead man's funeral is now held; the second time, conversely, from the dead man's life to the origination of the Hani ancestors, as escorting the soul back to its ancestors. Besides, natural events that the man had passed through from his birth, growth, to death, including the relationships, marriage, working, aging, and even illnesses that he had ever experienced during his lifetime, would also be recounted by "MoPi".

Usually, "Mo CuoCuo" happens three times a day during the funeral; on the first day, it begins early on the morning for the first time. Led by "MoPi", the dead mans' offspring walk around their house for three rounds. All of them would hold a bamboo stick, except that "MoPi" holds a stronger one. These bamboos are used to warn the ghosts under earth to keep away from the house as well as send message to the gods on heaven that they are sending the dead man's soul back to its ancestors.

After this, "Mo CuoCuo" is finally taken on show. People attending the funeral would come to the open ground before the house and then begin drumming and beating, singing and dancing while talking and laughing. All of them, from young to old, male or female, dressed in their most beautiful dresses, enjoy this program so much that except for the colorful papers hanging on the high straight pole, nothing else could be associated to death or funeral.

Then, in the noon after lunch, "Mo CuoCuo" goes on again.

The last "Mo CuoCuo" in a day happens after supper. It is said that this time's "Mo CuoCuo" implies the meaning of Hani people's rich multiply. Thus, people are allowed to show their affections to each other and even date freely.

Death is no doubt a sad occasion; it's not that Hani people are facing death without any sadness, but they do hold the funeral in a joyful, yet grand way; because a life would blossom for the last time on its funeral.

(Edit:Ruby)