How do we deal with death? And what do we do with the body of the deceased? All over the world there are customs and rituals surrounding death. The exhibition Death Matters in the Amsterdam Tropenmuseum is all about the role death plays in our lives.

Death can’t be avoided and for many it’s a mystery. All over the globe people ask themselves: Is there life after death. Do we return back to earth? And should we take this into account in our death rituals?

Around 155,000 people die every day. Sometimes death comes unexpectedly - when people are still young, or when there’s been an accident or disaster. But often you know it’s coming and it may even be a relief.

All these people are buried, cremated, burnt, fed to birds of prey, all depending on which part of the world the deceased comes from. For some the period of mourning is only a few days, for others it’s months. We take leave of our beloved with prayers, tears, celebrations or a few minutes silence.

The exhibition in the Tropenmuseum includes objects, photos and videos showing the connection between death and daily life all around the world.

Watch the slideshow:

(hs)