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A wake is a ceremony associated with death. Traditionally, a wake takes place in the house of the deceased, with the body present; however, modern wakes are often performed at a funeral home or a relative's home after the ceremony.

The English word "wake" originated from the ancient Indo-European root "wog" or "weg", meaning "to be active". This evolved into several meanings, including "growth" ("vegetable"), "to become or stay alert", and "watching or guarding". The third also evolved into the word "watch", and it is in this sense that people have a "wake" for someone who recently died"^[1]. While the modern usage of the verb "wake" is to "become or stay alert", a "wake" for the dead harks back to the antiquated "watch or guard" sense. This is contrary to the urban legend that people at a wake are waiting in case the deceased should "wake up".^[2]

Departure customs such as "emigrant wakes" were a marked feature in Ireland during the 19th Century.^[3]

[edit] See also

• Nine nights
• Jazz funeral
• Month's Mind
• Shiva (Judaism)
• Viewing

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• History of Funeral Customs
• A first hand account of a modern Irish Wake