1 year, 3 months ago
Where is it legal in the US to have a traditional Pyre Funeral?
I have heard that there's a town in Colorado that has a legal open air cremation site, but are the exception? http://bit.ly/e08DSL
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/funeral-pyres-an-option-i_n_816200.html
I would like to have a ceremony similar to my Viking ancestors, but where could I do this legally? I just don't want to be put into one of those industrial ovens. Please help!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/funeral-pyres-an-option-i_n_816200.html
I would like to have a ceremony similar to my Viking ancestors, but where could I do this legally? I just don't want to be put into one of those industrial ovens. Please help!
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M$1 Answer
I have only been able to find reference to the Colorado site. However, it is quite probable that pyres are not actually directly outlawed anywhere. Rather, there are complicated and various licensing laws and regulations that might be interpreted as precluding them.
For example, in Louisiana there has to be a licenced funeral director overseeing the use of a licensed crematorium which has regulations about how it is built and used etc.
However, Louisiana law makes a general exception to accomodate religious practices. Probably other states do too, and if not their law would be trumped by the Constitution. So, it really would be a matter of getting a sympathetic Funeral Director to make suitable arrangements.
Here is what I believe to be the relevant Lousiana law:
http://law.justia.com/louisiana/codes/2006/44/208307.html
"
E. No unauthorized person, as determined by the crematory authority, shall be permitted in a crematory while any human remains are in the crematory awaiting cremation, being cremated, or being removed from the cremation retort. However, nothing in this Section shall preclude attendance at the cremation, if specific practices and beliefs of religious groups dictate participation in the cremation process."
For example, in Louisiana there has to be a licenced funeral director overseeing the use of a licensed crematorium which has regulations about how it is built and used etc.
However, Louisiana law makes a general exception to accomodate religious practices. Probably other states do too, and if not their law would be trumped by the Constitution. So, it really would be a matter of getting a sympathetic Funeral Director to make suitable arrangements.
Here is what I believe to be the relevant Lousiana law:
http://law.justia.com/louisiana/codes/2006/44/208307.html
"
E. No unauthorized person, as determined by the crematory authority, shall be permitted in a crematory while any human remains are in the crematory awaiting cremation, being cremated, or being removed from the cremation retort. However, nothing in this Section shall preclude attendance at the cremation, if specific practices and beliefs of religious groups dictate participation in the cremation process."
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You'd be better off finding the place you want to do a traditional viking funeral and finding out what it would take to make it happen, than trying to find a place that says, "we do that", I looked into at one point too and it's just not common practice in America enough for the laws on it to really be public. When I inquired I got a lot of.. " You want to do what?" lol Good luck and way to go for choosing to explore your ancestorial burial rites.
(I commented because the above answer is great. )
You're right @unwirklich... I'm just hoping that by the time we're old crones that this type of ceremony is more accepted.
Thanks @albanian for a great answer. (I hate it that choosing BA, you have no space for a comment anymore!)
It looks like the laws in LA are still saying you have to be cooked in a crematory industrial oven, but that you can have your family there if you are Hindu or something to that effect.
I just wish funeral services weren't tied up in the hands of big corp. brother. It's become almost as mass produced in product form as fast food. Yuck!