University of Bath PHD The Virtual Wake in Brazil Martins Van Den Hurk, Andreia Award date: 2018 Awarding institution: University of Bath Link to publication Alternative formats If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact: [email protected] General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 09. Oct. 2021 University of Bath PHD The Virtual Wake in Brazil Martins Van Den Hurk, Andreia Award date: 2018 Awarding institution: University of Bath Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 13. Jun. 2019 The Virtual Wake in Brazil Andréia Martins van den Hurk A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Bath Department of Social and Policy Sciences June 2018 COPYRIGHT Attention is drawn to the fact that the copyright of this thesis rests with the author. A copy of this thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that they must not copy it or use material from it except as permitted by law or with the consent of the author Table of Contents Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................. 4 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 6 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 1: Literature Review ...................................................................................................... 15 1 Funerals, According to Encyclopaedias ................................................................................ 16 2 Wakes, According to Encyclopaedias ................................................................................... 20 3 Funerals in Brazil .................................................................................................................. 23 4 A General Description of Brazilian Funerals ......................................................................... 24 Seventh-Day Mass ......................................................................................................... 43 5 Virtual Wake, Not Funeral Webcasting ................................................................................ 44 6 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 48 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 54 1 Introducing the Research Field ............................................................................................ 54 2 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 56 Research Procedures ..................................................................................................... 59 Entering and Leaving the Field ...................................................................................... 73 3 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 74 Death in 19th Century Brazil ..................................................................................... 75 1 Why the 19th Century Matters ............................................................................................ 76 2 Securing a Good Death: Catholic Brotherhoods .................................................................. 77 3 Brazilian Funerary Practises in the 1800’s............................................................................ 81 Preparing for the Velório, a Brazilian Wake .................................................................. 81 Cortejo, or Funeral Procession ...................................................................................... 85 Burial Practises, Religious Tolerance, Sanitary Reforms and Popular Uprising ............ 88 4 Death in 20th Century Brazil, an Overview ........................................................................... 95 5 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 98 Death in 21st Century Brazil: An Introduction to the Dead People Profiles Community ................................................................................................................................ 100 1 21st Century: Death and the Internet in Brazil ................................................................... 100 2 Orkut, an Overview ............................................................................................................ 103 3 The Profiles de Gente Morta Community ........................................................................... 107 Rules ............................................................................................................................ 110 Inside the Profiles de Gente Morta Community .......................................................... 120 An Overview on PGM’s Members ............................................................................... 121 2 On and Offline Behaviour – Reactions to the Community’s Contents ........................ 144 Community Information – Most Common Causes of Death ....................................... 156 Community Information – Length of Participation in the PGM community ............... 166 Interview with Members – Posting the Profiles of Friends and Family ...................... 168 4 The End of Orkut ................................................................................................................ 170 5 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 173 The Profiles de Gente Morta Group on Facebook ................................................... 174 1 Facebook, a Brief Overview ................................................................................................ 174 Facebook’s Establishment in Brazil ............................................................................. 177 2 PGM Moves to Facebook ................................................................................................... 178 Rules ............................................................................................................................ 180 Carrying out Different Roles on PGM .......................................................................... 185 Inside the Profiles de Gente Morta Group .................................................................. 198 An Overview of PGM’s Members ................................................................................ 200 3 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 215 The Virtual Wake in Brazil ....................................................................................... 217 1 What Are Virtual Wakes, Exactly? ...................................................................................... 218 2 Virtual Wakes Versus Funeral Webcasting, Once Again .................................................... 226 3 PGM and Virtual Wakes: Orkut .......................................................................................... 228 Orkut-PGM Poll: “Why Do Some People Like to Watch Wakes on the Internet?” ..... 232 4 PGM and Virtual Wakes: Facebook .................................................................................... 235 Questionnaire: Do You Watch Virtual Wakes? ........................................................... 242