Nine Nights, Dead Yards, Funerals

We made reference to how death, and all that goes with it, differs here in Jamaica. With Tony’s passing it’s been our minds more than usual lately. In comparison to our experiences in the US, death and ‘all that goes with it’ is a big thing here, bigger and more common than weddings.

In Accompong, when someone dies, it is not uncommon for the whole town to come around the yard of the deceased to ‘pay their respects’. Sometimes, ‘paying respects’ has more to do with curiosity than anything else.

Following someone’s death, a ‘dead yard’ is held at the home of the deceased, sometimes for weeks, until the ‘nine night’ and funeral. A dead yard largely consists of the home/yard being open to visitors to hang out, play dominoes, drink, etc. In many cases, it is expected that the food and alcohol be provided by the family and friends of the deceased. (Sometimes I find out someone has died because ratty, blue tarps have been strung outside someone’s home, ready to host that evening’s visitors.)

A ‘nine night’ is held the night before the funeral, and it’s much like the grand finale -one huge party. Often there is a DJ, food, a band, dancing, singing, and just straight up partying. Anyone’s invited to a nine night; we’ve been invited to countless nine nights of people we’ve never met. Accompong will sometimes empty for the evening while many from the town attend a nine night in a neighboring village. Nine nights –like all Jamaican parties- last ALL night, often not really getting started until after midnight.

Funerals are HUGE deals, and like most Jamaican services and ceremonies, they last hours. The more ornate and flashy the casket, grave, the hearse, etc. the more respect it is thought to give to the deceased.

Other interesting tidbits: Cremations are not common here. In Accompong, the Abeng (cow horn instrument) is blown upon someone’s death as well as at the funeral. If someone dies with their eyes open, it is thought that they died looking or waiting for someone –often a loved one. When someone dies, the persons clothes must all be gathered in one place or pile, the bed turned a different way, and whatever chair, couch, etc. they were sitting in when they died turned as well.