As soon as the music starts, people who do not know who died will just come in for the fun and food of it all. Weddings run in a similar fashion in that, during the reception, people who do not even know the couple will join in, eat food, dance and have fun together. Because of this, it is expected that there is a lot of food at weddings and funerals. Even then, a family might prepare food for 200, 300 or even 400 guests and still run out of food because so many outsiders joined this part of the wedding or funeral.
In Botswana, it is also not customary to wear all black to a funeral, like in the U.S. As long as the dress code stated in the kgotla meeting field note is followed, locals can dress in whatever colors they like.
Is this tradition connected to its environment? How?:
For a funeral, a service is held at 7:00 a.m. Afterwards is the burial, where everyone sings songs and dances as the coffin is lowered into the ground, buried, and the headstone is set in place on top. The personal family will gather around the buried grave in a circle to sing and dance around the grave as well, singing the person into heaven. There is also a headstone reveal where guests can take a picture with the headstone. Most graves are surrounded by iron bars to prevent grave robbing.
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