Strategies for Healing from Disenfranchised Grief: A Case Study from Botswana

Abstract

This chapter presents a series of experiences that ensued following the sudden and unexpected death of Vital, which left his (ex)' wife. Ludo, and also his children devastated, shocked, confused and completely ignored, rejected and ostracised by Vital's elders. Vital's friends and close relatives were also left in a state of shock, anger and confusion. They all experienced many feelings, emotions, cognitions and behaviors that accompany not only sudden death, but any form of death in general (Worden, 1982). We explore how Ludo responds to ihe death of her (ex)- husband's death. funeral processes commonly practiced among the Bakalanga tribe, and the strategies that helped Ludo heal from being stricken with grief Before we proceed with this story, it may be important to let the reader be aware of the pseudo names which have been used lo identify people and places. In addition, the reader should be able to relate the incidents that happened early in Vital and Ludo's (Vital's wife) relationship, and how these incidents were to impact further on Ludo when Vital died. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)