What’s wrong with death

Death comes to the rational, striving mind as an affront and a foe. And in the absence of meaningful communal rituals to help us through this profound passage, many people are left feeling lost: alienated by their own mortality or the loss of someone they love. Philosopher Klaus Jahn and funeral director Kimba Griffith are joined by Butchulla Songman Fred Leone to explore the meaning and potential of dealing more philosophically with death and dying.

What’s it like at the Sophia Club?

You’ll experience spirited conversation between the guest speaker and host alongside captivating artistic performances. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with food, drink and conversation.

Klaus Jahn

Speaker

Klaus Jahn is a Canadian born philosopher, who teaches at the University of Melbourne in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies and in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. While Klaus was originally trained as an historian of Philosophy, focusing primarily on the 18th and 19th centuries, his primary area of interest has migrated towards ethics, applied ethics and political philosophy. Prior to moving to Australia in 2019, Klaus taught for eleven years at the University of Victoria in British Columbia and for five years at the University of Toronto. While in his previous positions in Canada, Klaus taught a subject on the philosophy of death and dying.

Kimba Griffith

Speaker

Kimba Griffith is a ceremony-maker, funeral director, jazz singer, and compassionate companion to the dying. Informed by both secular and spiritual paradigms, Kimba’s work involves supporting people who have lost someone as well as those facing a life limiting illness. She is co-founder of The Last Hurrah Funerals, an independent funeral company which focuses on authentic, unique and deeply compassionate deathcare, based on a model of transparency and deep respect for the journey death tasks each of us with. Kimba is passionate about creating meaningful farewells that include laughter and authentic remembering, while also acknowledging feelings of loss, sadness and confusion.

Kimba can be found on instagram and facebook at @thelasthurrahfunerals

Fred Leone

Artist

Fred Leone is one of the Butchulla Songmen, a language custodian, and an award winning artist who comes from the Garawa and Butchulla Tribes. Fred is known for his ability to transcend genre and form whilst bringing the true integrity of his life’s calling as a Songman to the forefront of all that he touches. His primary instrument is his voice, yet he uses Didgeridoo (Kuluru in Garrwa language), boomerangs (Bargan in Butchulla language), Emu egg (Ngurunj in Butchulla language), tree branches and other objects from K’gari to form his traditional sound pallet. Fred has toured with Public Enemy, Dead Prez and People Under The Stairs and collaborated with artists such as John Butler, Xavier Rudd and Amanda Palmer. He sits on the board of the Australian Live Music Business Council and is a member of the Indigenous Advisory Group for the National Indigenous Music Awards.

Fred can be found on instagram at @fredleone

Natasha Mitchell

Host

Natasha Mitchell is a multi-award-winning journalist, radio presenter, and podcaster. She is host of the ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program and podcast, and was founding host and producer of the blockbuster radio show All in the Mind which won the Grand Prize and four Gold World Medals at the New York Radio Festivals. Natasha hosted the ABC’s daily social affairs program Life Matters, and was founding host and producer of Science Friction, awarded Best Science and Medicine podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards. Natasha served as a board member and vice president of the World Federation of Science Journalists and was recipient of the prestigious MIT Knight Fellowship.