Body disposal in Gaborone and Aldo Leopold's land ethic

Abstract

Disposal of the dead differs across culture and times due to prevailing factors including traditional beliefs, normative worldviews, and resource availability. This paper sought to explore the views of the Batswana regarding disposal of the dead through a case study of Ledumang Ward in Gaborone. Interviews were conducted with 42 respondents who included 30 householders around Ledumang cemetery and 12 key informants who included persons in the funeral industry, clergy, and government or council officers. The findings reveal that burial is the most preferred method of body disposal among residents of Ledumang Ward with only a few having knowledge or being open to other forms of body disposal. Most household respondents (70%) cited religious beliefs and providing a resting place for the dead as the reason for their preference. Both residents and key informants expressed worry over negative environmental impacts of burials including them being an unsustainable land use practice. Shortage of land was the biggest concern for the largest portion of residents (40%). On the contrary, only 1% and 10% cited environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, and air pollution as the foremost concerns, respectively. The ethical evaluation using the land ethic shows the current burial practices to be morally wrong as they do not promote the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. The paper recommends some empirical research as well as philosophical research to establish and evaluate metaphysical and normative beliefs that undergird current burial practices.