Mallorca Death Cafe

The Death Café is a global movement started in London in 2011 by the late Jon Underwood. I discovered it by reading someone’s experience of attending one and I immediately contacted Jon to ask if there was anywhere in Mallorca where I could attend such an event! He told me yes and I was so excited and asked where! He told me that I was obviously going to have to set up my own and so the first Mallorca Death Café was born and I held the first meeting in December 2015 in my favourite tea room, in my home town of Binissalem!

Since that time I have endeavoured to hold a meeting every month, mainly in my town but we have also held meetings all over the island in both Spanish and English. The format is simple, find a place such as a room in a café or a community centre or someone’s home and then put the word out.

Over the years the interest has risen and I am proud to have assisted setting up new groups – Palma Death Café, Manacor Death Café, Porreres Death Café and Ibiza Death Café! A death café in German is also about to start.

Jon Underwood was insistent that there is no agenda and at the Mallorca Death Café after explaining the history and the guidelines, everyone is invited to introduce themselves and say why they have come. For many they are curious about the name “Death Café” and wonder what an earth the meeting could be about. For others they are interested in death as the only guarantee and want to explore their hopes and fears with other like-minded people. And for most, the Mallorca Death Café offers a space in which they are not judged for what they believe.

Everyone is welcome to attend and the cost is normally the price of one’s own refreshments. If a space has been loaned for the event, such as a cultural centre or holistic centre, then a minimum price is set and refreshments are available too.