Citation

Hemer SR. Death Stud. 2021; 45(1): 40-50.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07481187.2020.1851884

PMID

33246396

Abstract

This paper explores a revelatory moment in fieldwork-the death of a close friend and research participant who died suddenly in suspicious circumstances. Her mourning period challenged my understandings of grief in Lihir. In a previous article I argued that grief in Lihir is resilient and focused on remembering and forgetting, rather than emotions. However this particular mourning period was an emotionally charged space and time. I explore what made this death and grief distinctive, arguing that the nature of her death provoked shock and anger. This paper contributes to an ongoing discussion about how sudden or violent deaths might impact grieving both in the local context, and globally.

Keywords: Bereavement

Language: en