Documentary series celebrates life in death

Having worked with bodies and handling death, he has been on an amazing journey over the past year which, he claims “has changed my perspective, changed my life and what will be my death. It has bled into every aspect of my life”.

S4C cameras have been following Kristoffer, who is also Chief of the Anglesey Druid Order, and is known to many as drag comedian Maggi Noggi, as he travels to India, Indonesia, the United States and Mexico.

All the experiences and wonders of the “illuminating, moving, sad, tragic and inspiring” journey will be seen in the series Marw gyda Kris (Death With Kris), which starts on 10 October.

From the families that keep the body for years at home to those that throw a party every year for the spirits. From the ancient practice of open air cremation to the new science of body composting that’s gaining pace, the series offers an insight to a personal journey to discover unique and extraordinary ways that people deal with death.

“In western countries we’re comfortable discussing everything about sex. But the topic of death is still a big no no” says Kristoffer.

“We have turned the experience of dying into a clinical experience, rather than a soulful, spiritual one. Death has been transferred over to professionals.

“There’s so much we can learn from other cultures and in doing so perhaps reduce the fear that death raises in us. It’s a common experience which happens to us all, and how we deal with it reveals so much about the spirit of society.

“On this exhilarating journey, I have experienced warmth and freedom to express grief in a healthy and holistic way. I thought nothing would phase me, but it was a real eye opener”.

In the days leading up to Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead in Mexico, mourners in the Pomuch community are allowed to exhume, clean and decorate their deceased family members as a tribute to the deceased, and an attempt to help them reach salvation.

“For us, it may look extreme or even untasteful, but for them it was completely natural. Children would clean their Grandma’s bones without fear. What was extremely touching was that every year everyone, no matter who you are, have permission to immerse yourself back in loss and grief and to remember and honour those who had lived and influenced them”.

Kris was also profoundly affected by a visit to the Natural Organic Production Facility in Seattle, which is one of only three body composting facilities worldwide.

“We were sitting in this North Washington woman’s garden. She had lost her son who was 46 years old, and had composted his body. We were eating a salad grown by the compost.

“Her son is now gifting new life to the land. Every time she looks out at the new trees, vegetables and flowers, she can see the life her son has given back to the earth. He was giving something back to the planet rather than taking anything from it.

“I was thinking a lot about Dr William Price, the eighteenth century druid. Thanks to him, cremation became legal in Britain. Maybe the world is ready for another druid to bring Natural Organic Production to Britain!”

Marw gyda Kris (Death With Kris) starts tonight (10 October) a 9pm on S4C. Stream via BBC iPlayer or S4C Clic.