My baby died at six months and the traditional mourning requires me to shave my head and wear only black for forty days, but I am a teacher and I cannot explain this to my American colleagues without feeling exposed.
More people experience this than they realize.
Ritual mourning can force intimate sorrow into social spaces that lack understanding.
“Where Are You with African grief traditions — communal mourning?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.