There's more to shrouding than simply protecting and covering a person as they transition to the cemetery or crematorium. Shrouds are the complete package, a holistic vessel for death care without a coffin or casket.
It's Legal
A shroud is a legal and valid option nationwide in NZ, a choice every whānau has available to them. Covering the body is a requirement but coffins, caskets and embalming....
those things are always optional.
a healing practise
The ritual of shrouding gives space for the bereaved to be involved in washing and wrapping their person. A slow, uplifting and comforting process that celebrates
relationships and ultimately eases grief.
dignified & respectful
Covering a body maintains dignity, and shows deep respect for the person. There's no reason a shroud needs to be hidden inside a coffin, or considered the lesser option.
Be proud of the shroud.
Religious reasons
Religious communities such as Muslim, Hindu and Jewish have been practicing the ritual of shrouding for centuries. If you belong to such a group, then this will be very familiar.
plan ahead
Making, commissioning or purchasing a ready made shroud becomes a part your advanced care planning. It is a tool for confronting mortality.And the more you are prepared, the less you fear.
tikanga
Māori tipuna used to keep the body of their deceased with them, wash in the river, anoint with rongoa (a natural embalming) and wrap in cloth or harakeke. Shrouding honours the tikanga of Tangata whenua, a renaissance of decolonised times
less cost
Shrouds can fit all budgets, from a free repurposed heirloom quilt, to an op-shop bought tablecloth, or a home made sewing project. By using a shroud instead of a coffin, you can literally save thousands of dollars.
comforting
A shroud becomes part of your ‘furniture’ something you become friends with. Hold it, touch it, nest in it, tell it stories.The idea of it accompanying you between this life into death is comforting – like a korowai or cape.
grieving
There's no mystery to what is inside a shroud, no hiding that death has taken place. The wrapped human silhouette helps us to accept finality, to let go. We do grieving differently with shroud only funerals.
environmental benefits
In natural burials, decomposition happens in a short space of time - just a few months. Instead of carbon emissions, carbon and nutrients are fed back into the ecosystem creating a reservoir for life.
practise
With a shroud, you get a chance to practice wrapping, and in doing so discover that it's an intuitive process, like wrapping a gift. Practice allows you to feel confident especially if opting for a home funeral.
intimacy
Apart from the fabric, there are no barriers between people. Touching, laying beside, holding and cradling are all still possible for days after death. This is especially important for grieving parents and for children.