Death Cafes are not as gloomy and melancholy as their name implies, but rather a very powerful space of community, support and love in which people, usually strangers, feel comfortable enough to discuss dying and death over tea and cake.
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The first Death Cafe was formed in 2011 by a UK web developer, Jon Underwood, who was inspired by the idea of Dr Bernard Crettaz, a Swiss sociologist and anthropologist, who organized the first Cafe Mortel in 2004 with the goal to break the “tyrannical secrecy” surrounding the topic of death.
The official objective of the Death Cafes is to educate and help people become more familiar with the end of life and make the most of their finite lives. It’s a safe space where people can discuss their understanding, thoughts, dreams, fears and all other areas of death and dying at these events. The idea has since gained popularity around the world, with Death Cafes being held in 66 countries.
For anyone who would like to attend a Death Cafe, here are the details of the upcoming Death Cafe in Cape Town:
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