Maori And Catholic Beliefs: Life After Death

Both Maori and Catholics believe that there is life after death. Even though the belief is quite different, the similarity is that they believe that something happens with our soul or spirit after death. In Catholic belief, the spirit goes to purgatory and then to heaven if the person had not turned away from goodness. Maori believe that they will go back to their ancestors home. Both of these places are happy and peaceful with no evil which is really important. They also both believe that death is inevitable but they will not be separated from their loved one for very long. Both of these traditions teach strongly about the afterlife and this also includes being able to see their loved ones or ancestors again. Going to their ancestors is a really obvious similarity. Death is something to not fear in both of these accounts of traditions and this again is because they will be able to see their loved ones. They are very accepting of death because everything happens for a reason. Death is seen in both cases as inevitable part of someone 's life. For the after life, they both go to a place similar to heaven but for Catholic it is upwards and Maori is downwards.
Another way that Maori and Catholic traditions are quite similar is when it comes to death and grief. For the Catholic tradition, they pray for their loved one …show more content…
Maori believe that when a person passes away, their spirit is still with the body until they are buried. They would never leave the body on its own until it goes into the ground. However when Catholics believe that each person only has one spirit which leaves the body at the moment of death. Catholics may leave the body in the Church or in their home the night before the funeral as unlike Maori. Catholics believe that when the spirit leaves the body, the person is dead, therefore the body can be left on its