Dying Matters Awareness Week 2025 - Vanessa Naude

This week, during Hospice UK’s Dying Matters Awareness Week, with the theme of ‘The Culture of Dying Matters’ we would like to share some of the wonderful faces behind the care here at Hospice Isle of Man.

Here, Vanessa Naude from our Income Generation team shares her insights on how her culture approaches conversations, feelings and traditions around death and dying.


1. Could you share some background information about your heritage, family origins, or cultural background?
South Africa is a melting pot of cultures and is often referred to as the Rainbow Nation. We have 11 official languages, which gives you a sense of how diverse our cultural influences are. I am proudly South African, with roots that trace back at least four generations. My family origins are French and British on my mother’s side and Scottish on my father’s side.

2. How does your culture deal with death and dying – are there any significant traditions or differences of note to those you’ve witnessed locally?
Coming from a white, English-speaking background in South Africa, our family’s traditions around death and dying closely mirror British customs. We are Anglican, and our rites of passage are Christian in nature — typically conservative, solemn, and grounded in faith. However, living in South Africa has exposed me to a wide spectrum of cultural practices that differ significantly from my own. In many indigenous African cultures, for instance, death is not viewed as an end but rather a transition to becoming an ancestor. Rituals such as washing with medicinal plants, burning herbs, or observing extended mourning periods are common. Slaughtering animals like cows or goats plays an important ceremonial role, both to honour the deceased and to support communal mourning.

3. How does your cultural background shape your work at Hospice Isle of Man and contribute to making it a supportive place for patients?
I believe it’s less about culture and more about upbringing. As the descendant of three generations of nurses, I’ve inherited a legacy of compassion, kindness, and empathy. Though I chose a different path, these values guide how I support others—especially those facing vulnerability, grief, or suffering—and shape the caring, respectful environment I strive to create.

4. What message would you share with the wider Isle of Man community about the importance of understanding different cultural perspectives on death and dying?
There is great value in listening to people from different cultural backgrounds and understanding the traditions and beliefs that shape their views on life, death, and everything in between. This applies to food, storytelling, and most meaningfully, to how we approach dying and grief. Beliefs about the afterlife — whatever form they take — often shape how people live in the present and how they mourn. By embracing these perspectives, we are better able to support others during loss.