Get cultured: Learn about First Nations funeral rituals

Funeral traditions are incredibly diverse around the world, with numerous cultural values, beliefs and connections to land, community and ancestors. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia, these rituals are about honouring the deceased as much as connecting with the cultural, spiritual and family elements.

Understanding these customs can help you foster respect and cultural awareness in modern Australia.

Understanding funeral traditions across cultures

Every culture has distinct customs around death and mourning. They can range from highly ritualistic ceremonies to quiet, more personal memorials. Modern, multi-cultural Australia comprises of many diverse cultures and religions, each with its own unique rituals and traditions.

Australia also has First Nations funeral traditions that have been shaped by thousands of years of cultural and spiritual beliefs. Notably, these practices vary greatly between communities and are influenced by local traditions and connections to Country.

“There’s great regional variation in these ceremonies and how they’re conducted,” says Aunty Munya Andrews, who is an Aboriginal Elder and the Co-Director & Indigenous Culture Expert at Evolve Communities. “Those cultural practices can vary. The elders and community leaders play quite a central role in guiding these ceremonies.”

Aboriginal Australian traditions: Sorry Business

Among Aboriginal people, funerals are colloquially known as ‘Sorry Business’. Aunty Munya describes this as “an Aboriginal English term that’s used by First Nations people to refer to the process of death and dying. That includes any period of mourning, funerals, cultural protocols around that, and so forth; all of those significant cultural practices to honour the person who has passed away and give support to family and communities.”

As a period of mourning, it can extend far beyond the funeral itself, sometimes lasting weeks or even months. It’s an obligation, not a choice, and it recognises the deep communal bonds and kinship responsibilities present in Aboriginal culture.

“The actual ceremony can be quite different from mainstream Australians,” says Aunty Munya. “It can include things like smoking ceremonies, the wearing of ochre, in particular white ochre, which is the colour of mourning in our culture. Whereas those who have grown up in Christian traditions may adapt the black dress of the Western world, more so, traditionally we would have painted ourselves with white ochre.”

Other practices include keening – a deep, sorrowful wailing. “There’s a lot of crying, a lot of that sorrowful wailing, which I know a lot of psychologists would say is much healthier for you than bottling it up and stiff upper lip and all that, because you really have reached an acceptance that that person has passed away, and all you're doing is just letting your grief out then and there.”

Torres Strait Islander funeral traditions

While the concept of Sorry Business exists across many First Nations cultures, Torres Strait Islander funeral traditions have their own elements. One very important practice is the Tombstone Opening Ceremony, which is held about a year after burial.

“That’s where a newly engraved headstone is erected,” Aunty Munya explains. “That’s a special event that people go to, and that’s seen as just as important as the original burial or funeral.”

It’s a ceremony that provides another formal opportunity for the community to gather, mourn and remember. Throughout the year, leading up to this event, families will regularly visit the grave to make sure the deceased’s spirit continues to be honoured and remembered.

Naming taboos and cultural sensitivity

Another important cultural protocol across many Aboriginal communities revolves around the use of the deceased’s name. As Aunty Munya puts it: “There are naming restrictions – restrictions on using the names of people that have passed.”

So, if someone attends the funeral, who has the same name as the person who has passed away, we won’t use their name when talking to them, Aunty Munya explains. “We won’t say, ‘Oh, hello, Mary. Great to see you.’ if a Mary has passed, because that’s seen as insensitive.”

The deceased is referred to by a nickname or a term like ‘the old man’ or ‘the respected elder’. It’s a deeply held belief, which shows just how important cultural awareness is for non-Indigenous Australians who may attend a First Nations funeral. It is especially important for people working in health, education, and community services who interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on a regular basis, to have a good understanding – and to be respectful – of these cultural beliefs.

Importance of returning to Country

The connection between First Nations people and their ancestral lands is eternal, even in death.

“There’s a really strong cultural belief that the spirit of the person must be returned to their ancestral Country,” says Aunty Munya. In this sense, land is not just a physical space, but a living, spiritual entity intertwined with family, history, and cultural identity.

Even as different funeral practices – like cremation – become the norm, the importance of returning remains to Country endures. Such a connection between land and spirit explains why funerals are often held on Country, even if the person died elsewhere. This means that the funeral is held in the region of Australia that is their ancestral hometown. 

Learn more about Sorry Business and palliative care in Aboriginal communities across Australia.

Respecting cultural differences in Australia

For non-Indigenous Australians, there’s a very real need to not only understand but respect these traditions in order to develop true cultural sensitivity.

“The business of death requires us to be sensitive, respectful and also be willing to learn,” Christopher Hall says, who is a Psychologist and CEO at Grief Australia. “My attitude always is, teach me what this experience is like for you.”

Christopher adds that consulting directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is important for this very reason.

“When we’re working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, we really need to consult with them to understand their specific beliefs, their practices and to ask what’s appropriate for them.”

Carla Rogers, Founder, Co-Director & Ally at Evolve Communities, who works alongside Aunty Munya, says her own experiences have been very culturally eye-opening: “Often, at the [Sorry Business] I’ve gone to, most people chose a particular colour, like white and black. 

“I think what struck me the most was this expression and allowance for grief and honouring of the person that has passed. Different from my culture, where it's still, unfortunately, quite transactional. Like, I've got to duck out of work for an hour or two,” Carla says.

Embracing a spirit of open learning and respectful dialogue can lead to opportunities for even deeper understanding between First Nations and other Australians.

Supporting First Nations employees through Sorry Business

In workplace settings, cultural awareness around Sorry Business is a must. Employers need to recognise that attending funerals is an obligation for many First Nations people – and sometimes that means extended leave.

The cultural duty itself can go beyond immediate family to include kinship networks, meaning First Nations employees might need to attend multiple funerals in a year. Creating flexible, culturally safe workplace policies is the best way to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees during these times.

An act of cultural allyship

Learning about First Nations funeral traditions isn’t just about acquiring cultural knowledge. Instead, it should be about building deeper respect and reconciliation. Educating ourselves is the best way to take positive steps towards a more inclusive and culturally aware Australia.

“The main emphasis for us [at Evolve] is on allyship,” Aunty Munya says. “That's what we teach, and so it’s important for us to model that. For Carla and I, it’s black and white – working together to demonstrate that model of allyship.”

Learn more 

Interested in learning more about funeral practices as well as coping with grief? You may find these articles useful:

• A funeral director explains death literacy and its importance
• Doing death differently: How to plan a modern funeral service
• Tools to help you write a touching eulogy
• How to talk about grief
• A funeral director's tips on what to do after someone dies