A Tanzanian citizen, Patrick Kimaro has spent a total of $3,000 to construct his own preferred grave in preparation for his demise. The decision has been condemned by the community but he cited reasons for the socially ‘absurd’ decision.
The 59-year-old told the BBC that, the difficulty he went through in burying his parents, especially the financial aspect is the main reason he decided to prepare for his death. Patrick said he does not want his children to suffer same.
Speaking to the reporters from BBC, he said “Being a first-born child, I had a difficult time burying my parents when they died six months apart… so I decided I’ll not take my children through the same [experience].”
He has also revealed that, some amounts of money will be designated for his casket. According to him, the rest of the expenses will be taken care of with proceeds from the funeral. Initially, the family did not buy the idea but he said they are gradually accepting it.
His decision was seen as a contradiction to the usual social rules regarding funerals. Traditional leaders from his ethnic group in the Kilimanjaro region revealed that, the norm is for a grave to be dug upon the death of a person. They also added that, once dug, it should not remain empty for long.