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Creek Funerals

The burial customs of the Creeks were simple but very meaningful to them. Funerals were sometimes held in the homes since the family burial grounds were near the home site. The body of the deceased was kept for four days before being taken to the burial ground. The body was never left unattended. On the eve of the funeral day, an all night wake service was held. If the person had been a Christian, then sermons, songs and prayers were delivered for the deceased. On the morning of the funeral, grave diggers would begin very early. Family members would put the individual's favorite clothes and small amounts of food and tobacco in the casket. Creek parents would rub their hands over the face of the deceased and then rub the faces of their children in order to keep them from grieving. At the end of four days, the body was taken to Creek burial grounds and lowered into the grave. A fire was built at the head of the grave and tended for four days by relatives until the soul was believed to have reached the passage to the sky. After the burial, the family always washed themselves with an herbal medicine from the medicine man. The Creeks believed this washing helped relieve the pain of their loss and cleansed the grave area. After four days, women would go and clean the deceased home. The men would build a little house over the grave. The Christian Creeks have eliminated most of their traditional burial customs, but still have all night services now held in a church.