It was extremely interesting to hear about funeral celebrant Michael Hannah’s dissertation entitled “The celebrant shift in Scotland: how do celebrants view the rise of their profession and its impact on the contemporary Scottish funeral?”.
This dissertation was a part of Michael’s MSc in End of Life Studies at the University of Glasgow, 2023. Michael came to celebrancy (and to academia) later in life – he was 60 when he started out on this new path! Michael shared with us, “I have found it a rewarding career. I initially joined SICA simply as a way to network and also to obtain professional insurance. But as I have become more involved in our work, I have recognized the importance of associations that promote high standards in the profession. I also want to highlight our ‘death education’ work to help families know what their options are and help them plan at what is always a difficult time. The staged funerals were an important part of that work last year. I believe that celebrants have a very important part to play in this work.”
Michael went on to say “I was drawn to the Glasgow University MSc course out of a desire to explore some of the wider end-of-life issues that affect society – we studied topics such as palliative care, global challenges at end of life, assisted dying legislation and its impact, cultural representations of death – a very diverse and interdisciplinary programme. It was very demanding personally to study for a masters, maintain a freelance career, and carry out my caring duties, but I found the course immensely stimulating and rewarding – not least in the way in which we were able to build international connections (I am, for example, going to Mexico later this year for some follow-up workshops). And I was able to explore how the celebrant profession has grown and developed in Scotland over the last 20 years or so.”
What Michael identified in his research resonated with us. Whilst his study focused on Scotland, it has been interesting to watch recent shifts throughout the UK in how we commemorate and ritualise death, and how celebrants have both responded to, and been instrumental in, these changes. It’s great to see this subject explored and highlighted in this way, with in-depth academic research. Here are some of Michael’s findings.
“Liquid Celebrancy”: adapting to a shifting funeral landscape
Michael explains how this concept is “a nod to the work of the sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman who used the phrase ‘liquid modernity’ to explore ideas about the postmodern world. I found it a useful metaphor in trying to describe the world of the contemporary funeral where we see a very shifting and changing landscape.”
Celebrants’ willingness to be “liquid” and adaptable, to embrace and reflect a diverse range of views and practices in society, has enabled them to offer funerals that meet people’s needs. Society’s move towards ‘personalisation’, and the wish to create funerals that are more tailored and individual, aligns with the skills and ethos of many modern funeral celebrants.
Celebrants as storytellers
Michael suggests that celebrants as storytellers is another important factor in the increase in demand for their services. As he says “Storytelling carries great power and can help people make some sense of their loss.” He noted that despite the many changes to funeral rites and rituals in recent years, for example, the rise of spirituality over religion and the increase in new “body disposal” choices such as direct cremation, “people still seem to need some form of space where their loved one’s story is told. And by placing that story at the core of what they do, celebrants have been able to meet that need and this in turn has led to the rise in demand for the celebrant’s services.”
The celebrant as an emotional guide for the bereaved
Another interesting finding in this research is that celebrants appear to be offering families and loved ones a deeper connection. They are more than just providers of information, co-ordinaters and organisers. Michael notes that “a funeral is not just a single event but a process” and that many celebrants walk alongside the bereaved in their journey through this process, providing emotional support and guidance.
During his interviews, Michael noted that words such as “trust”, “reassure”, “putting at ease” or “safe” were frequently used in relation to celebrants’ visits with bereaved families. These visits, usually made soon after a death, are often extremely difficult for the bereaved, but that “In order to create a safe space in which families feel able to speak openly, celebrants engage in what we might call ’emotional work’.” The value of this, Michael suggests can not be overstated and is a key part of the celebrant role, helping to provide comfort and reassurance to the bereaved.
Conclusion
Twenty years ago, most funeral services would have been religious occasions, led by the clergy. Today, around 60% of funerals are conducted by professional officiants who identify as “independent”, “civil”, or “humanist” celebrants. The rise of funeral services and ceremonies that include a variety of elements drawn from diverse traditions and practices has been a factor in this, but has also been led by the rise in the popularity of the funeral celebrant. Their flexibility, adaptability and holistic service appears to fit well with the needs and wishes of an ever changing and diverse society.
To find out more this fascinating study, please visit Michael’s website or contact him at [email protected].