Siklis, Nepal

I'm editing a promo video for a friend of mine. It's for a documentary concept he's pitching. He lived in Nepal for 7 months and videoed most of his experience there, he speaks Nepali and the local dialect of Siklis. I'm finding it a wonderful experience to pick and choose from the 15 or so hours of footage he has, the culture in Siklis is very religious and based in ritual, something that's so mushed about in the West that it is hard to talk about a culture of America, though we certainly have a general and convoluted one. The basic ceremony that is the focus of the video is the funeral ritual in Siklis, which takes place over 4 days. They celebrate the life of the dead, pay homage to them and show the way to where the spirits reside. They mourn and celebrate. They provide offerings for the spirits and animal companions to join them on their journey. They bless the spirit with dances and music, bright colors and a feast.

All in all, I think it would be more comforting to know that this way is how one's life and death would be celebrated, as opposed to the bleak funeral procession of America, with the black cloaks and silent mourning.