Celebrating with the Dead

Abstract

This essay seeks to explore the celebration of the dead, with the dead, as a collaborative way of mourning, drawing from the experience of celebrating the fifth anniversary of my grandfather's death with my Japanese-Brazilian family. I will argue that this approach challenges the modern Western perspective on mourning. I draw on the work of authors from various theoretical fields who advocate for new ways of considering the relationship between the living and the dead. The text aims to explore the potential of mourning as a singular and political gesture, blending tradition and fabulation, joy and pain, conclusion and continuity.