To provide the best customer service to culturally diverse groups, you must be well acquainted with their expectations as consumers and with the variety of funeral customs and practices they honor. Never make assumptions about the best ways to meet the funeral and memorialization needs and desires of groups that are new to you or your market.
The following list includes religions recognized by the VA per the Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers. For further insight, consult clergy members from a particular group or other resources in your community that are aligned with diverse groups.
Wormald, B. (2014). Pew Research. Religious Landscape Study U.S. Religion Census 1952 to 2010 Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers. National Cemetery Administration The Association of Religion Data Archives Caring Through the Funeral Library of World Religions and Faith Traditions National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA Religious Traditions For Baptisms and Funerals. Federation of Christian Ministries Transition Rituals Cultural & Religious Funeral Customs Customs and Religious Protocols Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains Funeral Traditions | A Summary of the Practices of Different Faiths Related to Death and Funerals Religious Traditions
ALSO Buddhism
CAVEAT: Large variation in differences between Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Burmese, Bhutanese, Sri Lankan, Laotian, Mongolian, Taiwanese, and Singaporean Buddhism practices.
Funeral Rites:
Bhutan: Bhutanese. Cambodia: Death in Cambodian Buddhist Culture China: Chinese funeral A Guide to A Buddhist/Chinese/American Funeral Buddhist Traditional Chinese Buddhist Funeral Arrangements Japan: Japanese Buddhist Funeral Customs Laos: Xamountry, M. (2013). Laotian Death Culture Funeral Traditions of the Laos Buddhist Culture Malaysia: Malaysian Buddhist Co-operative Society Berhad (2008). “A Guide to a Proper Buddhist Funeral.” Mongolia: Mongolian practice of burial Singapore: Funeral Rituals – Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations Sri Lanka: Kariyawasam, A. G. S. (1996). Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka Taiwan: Genova, T. D. (2015). Death and Dying in Taiwan Hsiao, L. (2012). The Soul and its Ceremonies: Funeral Practice in Modern Taiwan Taiwan Funeral Customs Thailand: What to expect if you are invited to a Thai Funeral (2011) Buddhist Funeral Rites in Thailand and South Asian Countries Vietnam: Funerals and Ideas about Death in Vietnam Buddhism Funeral Traditions and Religious Traditions: The Funeral Source Buddhist Funerals (2014)
Suggested Resources: