ABSTRACT
Whenever a death takes place, whether of man, woman, or child, a series of funeral rites lasting a month or more begins. The first of the series is the burial (ifwa) which, in the case of most adults, lasts three or four days, though for a rich man it may continue for a week, and for a child it is over in a day. The Nyakyusa believe that in order to protect the living and avenge the dead it is most important to discover the cause of death. Digging a grave is traditionally a dangerous activity, but nowadays it is no longer so much feared as it used to be. Before the burial the body is carried in procession round the homestead. Death to the Nyakyusa is a fearful thing. From the time of the death until the end of the three or four days of the burial rites, wailing continues intermittently.
