Sorry no space : a battle between the living and the dead

Abstract

In land scarce Singapore, the living live close by, as do the dead. Both have needs, and in the zero sum game of space and other resources, the needs of both players must be balanced carefully.

The living seem to always get the short end of the stick by having to pay for the expenses after the passing of a loved one, share their living space to accommodate the burial needs of the dead, or even having to “serve” the dead (i.e. professionals in the death industry, such as morticians). In some of these industries, there is also the conflict between the preservation of traditional practices and the gradual loss of meaning of these traditions to commercialisation.

Yet, the idea behind the title “Sorry no space” also encompasses the fact that the living in Singapore are increasingly unwilling to demarcate their land space for the dead, and there is also an increasing commercialisation of rituals and traditions. There is quite literally, no space for the dead and also gradually, no space for superstition and its traditional significance.