Abstract
Working as a mortician/funeral director is probably one of the most misunderstood jobs
(globally and nationally). It is well understood that stigmas and tainted work go hand
in hand. This study presents an overview of the experiences of morticians in
performing tainted work, with literature that addresses tainted work, demands
morticians face, stigmas attached to their work, coping strategies they employ to deal
with pressures at work, their occupational identity and the reconceptualisation of their
work. There were eight participants: three white Afrikaans females and five males
(black, white and coloured) with a minimum of five years’ experience in the funeral
industry. Qualitative research and data-gathering methods and techniques (semistructured
interviews) were employed to obtain valuable information from eight
participants (morticians/funeral directors). The purpose of this study was to understand
the work of morticians/funeral directors in the South African context, explore
perceptions about their work described as tainted, and the coping mechanisms they
fall back on to deal with the challenges and demands of their work. Consideration was
also given to the importance of culture when working as a mortician/funeral director
and to conceptualise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job requirements
of and stigmas attached to morticians/funeral directors in South African. There are
clear misconceptions in understanding and showing appreciation for the work done by
morticians/funeral directors. More awareness about their work needs to be shared with
broader society to diminish some of the stigmas held. The work performed by
morticians/funeral directors deserves to be viewed as dignity work. The world of work
of morticians/funeral directors, the challenges they face, stigmas about their work, and
different business models are still understudied, especially in South Africa, which is
home to diverse cultural backgrounds.
Keywords: Mortician / funeral worker / stigmatised work / wellness / demands /
qualitative study / narrative approach.