Professional mourners mix tribal tradition with Kenya’s widespread Christianity - Toronto Star

Professional mourners mix tribal tradition with Kenya’s widespread Christianity NAIROBI, Kenya — Agnes Kerubo’s wails were so convincing, so full of grief, that some relatives of the deceased thought she was related to the family. That’s exactly what she was paid to do. Kerubo is a professional mourner in western Kenya, where the practice of hiring people to publicly express sorrow at funerals is experiencing a resurgence, blending ancient tribal customs with the country’s deeply ingrained Christian faith. The tradition, which dates back centuries among some Kenyan ethnic groups, was once a…