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Professional mourners mix tribal tradition with Kenya’s widespread Christianity

Paid mourners draw on personal grief and earn about $80 a job as western Kenya families blend Luo customs with Christianity at funerals.

Summary by City News
KISUMU, Kenya (AP) — The body of Tom Ochieng Mima is dressed in formal funeral finery, casket shaded from the hot western Kenyan sun as family and friends of the late 64-year-old settle into plastic chairs beneath white tents just off the roadside. Wails pierce the air in a mix of lyrical song and unrestrained cries; a group of mourners wave leafy branches and beat them against the ground in a rhythm. A performance like this would not seem out o…

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Associated Press NewsAssociated Press News
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Professional mourners mix tribal tradition with Kenya’s widespread Christianity

Loud and expressive mourners are common at funerals around the world — but in parts of Kenya, some of them may be paid workers.

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Professional Mourners Mix Tribal Tradition with Kenya's ...

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The Hamilton Spectator broke the news in Hamilton, Canada on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
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