Mariam Ardati
Topic
The Other Side of the COVID Death Wave – A case of complicated grieving in the Muslim community
Abstract
Almost 12 months on from the peak of the 2021 Covid 19 death wave that saw the most significant loss of life due to a single cause ever to strike the Muslim community in NSW, people are still coming to terms with the traumatic events that lead to the sudden death of so many loved ones. Conspiracy theories aside, there were failures at all levels of the health and justice systems that put people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities at greater risk of misinformation, confusion and confrontations with police. This presentation will explore a number of contributing factors that made losing a loved one during the height of the pandemic even more difficult to cope with and has lead to what is now known as a disconnected and more complicated grieving.
Muslim Chaplin, Funeral Director
Biography
Mariam Ardati is a Funeral Director, Consultant and Educator based in Sydney. Following an information management pathway and many years working in health-related industries, Mariam a keen interest in the death-care sector. For over 15 years, she has dedicated her time as both a volunteer and care consultant for a number of funeral services, performing the final rites in accordance with Islamic tradition, providing spiritual and practical care to the grieving, and assisting families through the coroner’s court and its processes. As a death-literacy advocate, Mariam also runs Death Cafes and workshops on death and dying from an Islamic perspective. These workshops were created to assist health professionals and support staff in government and non-government organisations develop more informed approaches to culturally appropriate therapy models and coping strategies for Muslim patients and their families.
