Rituals of Separation in the Face of the Death of a Child

Abstract

Objective: To describe the separation rituals developed by bereaved mothers in the face of the death of their children. Methodology: Descriptive field research, with a qualitative approach, carried out in a municipality in the interior of Paraíba, with ten members of the “Mothers of Pieta” group, consisting of mothers who lost children of natural or tragic death and share their experiences with other mothers in the process. mourning. Data collection took place over two months, using the focus group technique through individual interviews. Results: Interpretations were obtained about the maternal experiences of loss produced from conceptual maps in the light of the rituals of "Before death" - the rite of anointing the sick or the hospital experience, "Before the burial" - rite of the funeral and " After the burial” – celebration of the mass in faithful memory of the deceased. Conclusion: It was found that each ritual has its relevance in the face of the displeasure caused in a situation of loss, which shows the loss can have a better understanding when symbols (rites) are adopted that help in the elaboration of this experience.