Death and funerals are delicate matters that need to be handled with the utmost courage, compassion, and empathy. Due to the taboo nature of their work, women who serve in the funeral industry have been regularly subjected to social stigmatization and discriminated against in a dominantly male environment. Additionally, the funeral industry’s association with a topic like death has regularly deemed it unattractive as a career path to the younger generation, making it a field of service that remains undiscovered to many.
In recent times, however, Singapore has seen a wave of change in the funeral industry, with more millennials, especially women, entering and practising in the field – As seen in Sarah Ang, who has garnered over 7 years of experience in embalming and is a highly regarded licensed embalmer in Singapore.
Having gone through extensive certification which consists of an accredited training programme and an apprenticeship overseen and administered by NZEA (New Zealand Embalming Association) state board, she has continued to pursue the craft at the local funeral trade with Serenity Casket & Funerals. In her expertise as a mortician, she combines and applies her knowledge of the science to restore the deceased, injecting her capabilities in many complicated cases that require advanced skills and knowledge.
Over the past decade, the industry has witnessed opportunities for broader exposure to the general public, with many funeral service providers gaining recognition for their planning and execution of funeral arrangements. They have also caught the attention of news and media publishers, who aim to shed light on the fascinating trade. Adding on, male morticians also share and acknowledge that the number of women joining their field of work has increased in recent years, and have been seeing more of the younger generation contacting them with an interest in dedicating their lives to this service.
The media has highlighted the success stories of many female embalmers such as Sarah Ang and Nicole Chong, who are paving the way for positive change in their society. Many families have also shared meaningful stories of their irreplaceable guidance and support through trying times. Young funeral directors who share the likes of Sarah are steadfast in setting the standard in embalming and aim to make an impact in the industry to foster a more accepted and inclusive environment.
Sarah Ang leading her team
As a licensed embalmer, Sarah finds that the quality of service in the industry has fallen, hence deciding to set a minimum standard and approach to adhere to when operating on a dead body. With 3 mentees/assistants under her close supervision, she sets out to impart her knowledge and maintain a solid foundation of the embalming practise.
Several viral online features tell us the story of many women like Sarah Ang and Nicole Chong as prominent female trailblazers in the local funeral industry today. Little do they know, more and more young women are stepping up in the scene to forge a path of their own as well. At Serenity Casket & Funerals, 2 apprentices, Yi Huey and Justine, have joined the embalming team, fuelling the fire of the new age of undertakers in Singapore. Their stories revolve around the acceptance of death as a natural phase in life and committing themselves tirelessly to the trade by overcoming countless obstacles and educating society at any given chance.
From embalming to simultaneously planning for multiple funeral wakes, Sarah is thoroughly involved with the entire process of sending the deceased off with grace and is changing the face of the funeral industry. Singapore’s funeral industry is increasingly being spearheaded by women, in hopes that this will someday be the norm, inspiring many more young women to carve their legacy in the industry, fostering a more inclusive and safe environment for all.
Curious on how to become an embalmer in Singapore? Click on the link to find out more.