We have some major quibbling now – one lady is really raising her voice – now its an old mans turn. There are about ten people in the room and me in the corner trying to look like things don’t matter. Arms are still folded. Well, I am proud of myself – I don’t look like I am involved at all – Now its 2.30 pm. So I was told that they all need to leave at 4pm. Mmmm. Nothing like pressure. I am feeling it now – my heart is beating, I feel uncomfortable and just want this shoot to end before its started. Not a great way to start a shoot.
OK. They are all standing in a circle and they are not quibbling any more – maybe someone is getting changed – this would be good. No – no good – the quibbling is loud, arms folded. This is not going to happen today and I will have six angry funeral criers on my hands. I have no idea what is going on. The old man is really shouting at the other women.
So how will I tell them to be quiet while we shoot – no mobiles, no laughing, no discussion. OK . I need to pay 300 RMB more otherwise they are all walking out. So, I am shooting five people today. It feels so frustrating – just not having a voice, just not being able to negotiate – not knowing the cultural nuances of how this transaction should be done.. Gosh, shooting funeral criers felt like a good idea at the time, but now I feel like I am involved with some sort of funeral mafia with ever shifting negotiations, and cash being the only language that anyone understands, or likes? Chinese spare no expense for funerals, and I guess this is how the negotiations go. The type of funeral reflect a family’s wealth, prestige and social status, so I guess these guys are used to negotiating – and profiteering from death.
Anyway, lets see how this goes. 2.38pm and still no shoot. But I have been told that I am invited to a funeral tonight. Someone is getting changed. This is a step in the right direction. Now I need everyone outside – quiet – no mobiles. I have told She to tell everyone to shut up. Will that work? No, they said they don’t want to go outside – they want to watch.
OK. 3.53 and all done – they are paid, out the door and I have been invited to a funeral but I will have to pay a lot – as I stand out as a foreigner and I will attract attention. I don’t think I should go to the funeral – I will attract too many questions, and they need to mourn, not look at me. I would go if I was invited to the funeral by the mourners, not the funeral parlour owner. Apparently the funerals happens in ‘tent’ type of structures, errected on spare land (I have no idea where they find spare land here, so I don’t think I have understood this information properly). The body stays there for a few days and everyone gathers to gamble, playing mahjong, and talk around the body. She asks – ‘Don’t you think its strange they gamble around the body?’. ‘We wouldn’t do that where I come from’.
