LOST-Theories.com

maybe they tried to distrack jack with traditions that isnt theres

I think you’re right, sham. I’m not sure what to make of it, though, if anything.

Hey sham, whats up?

Are you suggesting that the funeral rite of sending someones remains out to sea is more “open” and free that the traditional western burial ritual? If the Losties bury the dead and (their past) as you say, it seems a strange contradiction that in burying ones dead, the dead aren’t really gone or released (physically or spiritually??). Their bodies are still right there in the ground 50 yards away. The Others released their dead into the ocean - freeing her and letting go of her. The Losties may bury their dead but “nothing stays buried on this Island” as John has said. Maybe there is some significance to allowing a body to leave the Island…. good post, brother.

I think that happened in the Jack-centric “Stranger in a Strange Land”, which I can forgive you for forgetting.

mmm thats the worst episode of lost ever.

Cool observation but im not entirely sure whether it means anything.

keep it up anyway dude.

Shamalamb, many moons ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I suggested that only those who are buried on the show seem to stay dead. I think it was in my theory about why Charlie might not be dead, I forget. Anyway I think its interesting that you mention Colleen was not ablaze. Perhaps she isn’t really dead? I’m not getting a Mikhail vibe from her but I do think there is something a little odd about this.

Thanks for the comments all.

After sleeping on it a bit, I also thought of a few more things when it comes to the Other’s and burial.

• When it came to the original Dharma and the purge, a mass grave was used but they left it open and none of the remains appear to have been children.
• Ben’s father was left in the VW to rot.
• Henry Gale appears to be the only person buried by the Others, but we don’t know for a fact that it was them who did it.
• Colleen’s funeral was reminiscent of King Arthur’s send off in the movie Excalibur.

Colleen’s send off looks like some ancient druidic ritual and made me think of four-toed statues and indigenous others.

Sham, that is an intriguing difference to notice, and I like Hex’s & mrs’s take on the significance as well. It seems like it’s going to have to do with the idea of “letting go.” hmmm, just got an idea—I’ll post separately. Thanks sham :-)

Thanks mrs and my six-sided friend. :)

I’m wondering if there actually is anything to these things or if it is just the writers way of reinforcing the differences between our Losties and the Others.

But who knows? Who was it that said “How we deal with life is just as important as how we deal with death”?

People can’t be born on the island therefore people can’t die on the island?

Henry Gale was also not buried but rather left under a pile of rocks. Typically you would not bury people in an area with solid rock base or a high water table. Think about New Orleans and how they “bury” people above ground there. The death traditions of the Others might just be a matter of island culture and nothing more. The Losties are still clinging to the death traditions of their cultures in the “real world”.

Sham: There aren’t many Others that have died, the only other one I can think of is the guy that Juliet shot to let Kate and Sawyer escape. They didn’t show what happened to him. Maybe she disposed of his body so they wouldn’t know she shot him.

The rest of the deaths all happened in the Finale, so no one would have had time to set them asail.

Personally, I’ve always loved the Viking tradition of sending the body out to sea. It’s a much nicer thought than being buried. eeeeeeeewwww And has more majestry and a sort of honor to it too.

Ah, but I’m a Catholic, so unless my ex-husband/current best friend steals my ashes and spreads them out over the breakers in Narragansett, as I wish, I will be joining my family in the ground in St. Anne’s.

My guess is, it’s just all about religion and tradition. There’s so much of that on Lost. And the Others are really the Hostles and who know how long they’ve been there. This may be something they have done for hundreds of years!

Great question, Sham! Really got me thinking and this early too. :) OH and I’ll give you your +1 when I post this.

Mornin’ jazzie.

sip

Wow, that took me so long, four more comments made it in before I could get this posted!!!

So, you’ll have to consider that when reading. :)

tree_sneakers, I agree with your logic but I think we would agree that the island was created long ago by volcanic means and probably has areas with fairly deep and fertile top soil like the Hawaiian Islands.

Good morning Annie. Don’t forget Eko killed a couple and Ethan and Goodwin are dead but I can’t recall what the Losties did with them. I think Ben gave Juliet permission to kill Pickett for various reasons and so knew. There was also her “trial” and marking. Made me think of the mark that Cain recieved after killing Able.

Sonnuva gun, you beat me to it kit kat. I couldn’t remember if I had read anything regarding funerals or not. It sucks getting old! :)

I feel your pain Annie. Sometimes it takes me so long to type and edit things that I lose my train of thought and just abort the whole thing.

If I do manage to spit something out, I usually see that at least 3 other people have made the similar (and better) comments. :)

It would be nice if the posts weren’t reordered. I think they are inserted based on when you start typing them rather than when you hit the enter key.

Thanks Sham :)

Sham, you rock bud. From Star Trek, The Wrath of Khan:

James T. Kirk: A no-win situation (Kobayashi Maru scenario) is the possibility every commander may face. Has that never occurred to you?

Saavik: No, sir, it has not.

James T. Kirk: How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn’t you say?

Saavik: As I indicated, Admiral, that thought had not occured to me.

James T. Kirk: Well, now you have something new to think about. Carry on.

And dude, Excalibur is one of my all time favorite movies, but I prefer the modern version of King Arthur because it paints them as more realistic and less mythological. Colleen’s burial was an intentional reference to the scene from Excalibur. I think the Others have a some yet unknown tie back to the ancients and the temple and the 4-toed statue.

Consider this: the Viking burial practice is so that a person’s soul can rise to heaven while a person buried is following the “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” philosophy.

The Viking/Authurian tradition was European based - ironically where The Hanso Foundation is headquartered. Magnus Hanso captained the Black Rock and is supposedly buried on the island. I’m not sure about ashes to ashes - but my instinct tells me is Middele Eastern.

Stip my brother from another mother. :)

Weren’t there a couple live virgins thrown on the departed’s burning boat just for luck when it came to a Viking funeral?

Why am I hearing Wagner’s “Flight of the Valkyries”

This ones for you Stippo…

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yfpwS8cYkAk

oh man, I almost snorted my coffee thru my nose…that was great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcIm9EmgJ20&mode=related&search=

this one’s even better…wouldn’t Locke just love a cure for baldness…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_kZJJUc4mQ&mode=related&search=

Those were hilarious!

Sham, I was thinking of Ride of the V this morning too; was trying to find a brief version of the one from “What’s Opera Doc.”

Man, Pollak does an awesome impersonation Stip.

Oh jaz, that is a classic and your right it is “Ride” not “Flight”. :)

Shamalama: I always felt that the funeral was some sort of a ruse, by “the others”, intended for solely for Jack. I don’t have any basis for it, but I am skeptical, that they would perform such a beautiful ceremony, when they don’t appear to have any deep emotions. Maybe it’s me! +1

You know Dab, when you say the funeral wasa ruse, I all of a sudden remembered what Locke said to Boone about the red shirts from Star Trek and Locke saying “sounds like a piss poor captain.” He was obviously referring to Capt Kirk. And here Sham and I are making fun of James Tiberius Kirk.

What’s ironic is if Locke thinks Kirk was a “piss poor captain”, why did he send Boone on the hazardous mission of exploring the Beechcraft - resulting in Boone’s death? I wonder if Locke knew death was a possibility and it was LOCKE who sacrificed Boone, not the island.

Good point, Stip! It’s possible. Locke definitely is onto something that the other “losties” are not. What that entails, I don’t know. You could be right, about him sacrificing Boone. I noticed that Locke doesn’t seem to feel too many emotions when it comes to people dying. I wonder why?

Exactly. When they go out searching for Claire in Season 1, Locke and Boone get distracted by the discovery of the hatch. From that point on, Locke could care less about Claire which doesn’t make sense because in other scenes he is quite kind to her. Locke arranges for Cooper to be essentially executed by Sawyer. He knifes Naomi.

I just don’t get the bald mongoose. He flips from good to bad like a freaking mexican jumping bean.

Not sure what this has to do with Sham’s theory, but the frivilous attitude toward life is a bit disconcerting about Locke - whether they be buried or sent out to sea doesn’t seem to matter to him. They are just obstacles; distractions in his way to finding the secret to the island.

Locke needs to regain a conscience. He needs Helen to be brought to the island.

Stip: I would have to agree. For someone who appears to be so wise, and supposedly a “man of faith”, his lack of empathy, almost coldness towards other people is disconcerting. I am wondering, and always have if Ecko actually spoke the words, that John claims he did, before his death. Perhaps, it was something else, entirely, and it’s just another case of his unwillingness to share!

Your in the clear Stip. I made sure to label it “not a theory” because it’s just some observations I made to spark discussion.

Dab, I used to get the same vibe about Locke, but I don’t think he is heartless. It is more like he is letting nature run it’s course.

Desmond has seemed frantic at times when trying to understand the flashes or visions while John just takes things in stride and lets it happen.

He does do some good things:

He made the dog whistle to get Vincent and help Michael’s relationship with Waaaalt!

Provided food for the Losties by killing boar.

He made the crib for Aaron and taught Claire a little something in the process.

He helped our beloved Chaaalie (love the way Claire says that) overcome his drug addiction.

Perhaps I view Locke the same way some view their deity of choice; cold and impassionate at times, but also all knowing and guiding?

And finally Stippo… another link for you my friend. :)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MvzN8mGEqSc

Shamalaman: You are so right! Thanks for reminding me about the good that Locke has done! It’s been awhile since we seen that side of him. It makes sense that he is just sitting back, and allowing nature to take its course.

Doesn’t it make you wonder what he knows?

Thanks dab. Yes, I think John changed some when he looked into the “eye” of the island. Maybe he was shown what is to be.

stip, the “ashes to ashes” is middle eastern. It is based on the judeo-christian creation story where Adam is made from dust. I think there is a bible verse that actually says ashes to ashes, dust to dust.