Karl Käsnapuu says suffering is part of being human

Estonian death researcher Karl Käsnapuu says overcoming hardship can make people better, after spending three months in Mexico studying its culture around death, ERR reported. He discussed his research on the ERR programme Ringvaade.

Käsnapuu said his interest in death studies began in Mexico 18 years ago. He described it as the only Western country where people spoke openly about death throughout the 20th century, while death was taboo “here”.

During his recent visit, he went to the Santa Muerte altar in Tepito, which he described as Mexico City’s most dangerous neighbourhood. Käsnapuu said he had known about the Santa Muerte religion and the reverence for death, but not that the religion’s first altar was there.

According to Käsnapuu, a woman set up the altar outside her home after her son, who had spent a long time in prison, gave her a large statue of Santa Muerte in gratitude for not forgetting him. People began visiting the altar to ask for various things.

He said people believe Santa Muerte grants requests but expects something in return. Käsnapuu recounted stories of people asking for money and then losing a family member. He said he was afraid when he went to Tepito, although nothing dangerous happened and he felt uneasy throughout the visit.

Käsnapuu also visited Zipolite beach on the Oaxaca coast. He said it has permission to operate as a nude beach, but that underwater currents in the ocean lead to people drowning there regularly.