Loud and expressive mourners are common at funerals around the world—but in parts of Kenya, some of them may be paid workers. Professional mourners in western Kenya play an important and common role in funerals, adding a level of intensity to collective grief in support of traditional local beliefs. (AP video by Desmond Tiro)
Professional mourners grieve alongside family members and friends of the deceased during a funeral on the outskirts of Kisumu, Kenya, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asa Wallin)
Mourners carry a coffin during a funeral procession led by a Christian congregation on the outskirts of Kisumu, Kenya, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asa Wallin)
Professional mourner James Ajowi and a relative of the deceased stand in front of the coffin on the outskirts of Kisumu, Kenya, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asa Wallin)
Professional mourner Francis Oyoo draws on personal loss to enter an emotional state during a funeral on the outskirts of Kisumu, Kenya, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asa Wallin)
