This reminds me of Irish wake customs I've heard, which all seem to be about warding off or tricking evil spirits, leprechauns, & fairies; not about respect for the dead at all. Turning the mirrors to the wall, other things I can't remember...I suspect the sheet over the cupboard is one of these. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Malcolm Moody" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:17 PM Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] A question about Wakes > Hi List, > > OK, here is a question for you. We were just working on a book > which was describing a wake which took place during the mid. to late > 1800's. It was set in the house of a family, and in an area, with > strong Scottish connections. The part which neither of us could > understand was in a description of how the room was prepared for the > wake. > > There were various "precautions" mentioned including covering > pictures and drawing curtains, which we had heard of before, but the > one that stopped us was, "covering the cupboard with a white sheet." > Neither of us had ever heard of such a custom before, nor could we > understand why it would have been done. Most of the other customs > have fairly obvious origins in showing mourning and respect for the > dead in various ways. But we simply could not figure out how covering > a cupboard would show mourning or prevent an inadvertent lack of > respect. > > I appreciate this isn't a "hard core" genealogy question but then > this list has always seen the wisdom in understanding the customs and > habits of our forefathers in addition to the factual business of dates > and relationships - quite apart from being one of the most > knowledgeable of all the lists I monitor. > > So, there's the challenge - if you chose to accept it. :-) > > Malcolm > > > Archive CD Books Canada Inc. > President: Malcolm Moody > PO Box 11 > Manotick > Ontario, K4M 1A2 > Canada. > (613) 692-2667 > WEB SITE: http://www.ArchiveCDBooks.ca > > ***************** > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
Google has plenty of sites relating to burial customs of Scotland, but nothing I read referred to any cupboards. This site is interesting and makes me wonder if perhaps it was to keep any ghosts from hiding in there? http://freepages.folklore.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bldr/customs2.html Today's customs are more celebratory than mourneful, but still with great respect. Cheers! Doreen ========== > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:20:14 -0400 > Subject: Re: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] A question about Wakes > > This reminds me of Irish wake customs I've heard, which all seem to be about > warding off or tricking evil spirits, leprechauns, & fairies; not about > respect for the dead at all. Turning the mirrors to the wall, other things I > can't remember...I suspect the sheet over the cupboard is one of these. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Malcolm Moody" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7:17 PM > Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] A question about Wakes > > > > Hi List, > > > > OK, here is a question for you. We were just working on a book > > which was describing a wake which took place during the mid. to late > > 1800's. It was set in the house of a family, and in an area, with > > strong Scottish connections. The part which neither of us could > > understand was in a description of how the room was prepared for the > > wake. > > > > There were various "precautions" mentioned including covering > > pictures and drawing curtains, which we had heard of before, but the > > one that stopped us was, "covering the cupboard with a white sheet." > > Neither of us had ever heard of such a custom before, nor could we > > understand why it would have been done. Most of the other customs > > have fairly obvious origins in showing mourning and respect for the > > dead in various ways. But we simply could not figure out how covering > > a cupboard would show mourning or prevent an inadvertent lack of > > respect. > > > > I appreciate this isn't a "hard core" genealogy question but then > > this list has always seen the wisdom in understanding the customs and > > habits of our forefathers in addition to the factual business of dates > > and relationships - quite apart from being one of the most > > knowledgeable of all the lists I monitor. > > > > So, there's the challenge - if you chose to accept it. :-) > > > > Malcolm > > > > > > Archive CD Books Canada Inc. > > President: Malcolm Moody > > PO Box 11 > > Manotick > > Ontario, K4M 1A2 > > Canada. > > (613) 692-2667 > > WEB SITE: http://www.ArchiveCDBooks.ca > > > > ***************** > > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ***************** > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9660826