Haitian death ritual. Funeral

In Haiti funerals and burials are performed with singing and dancing all night.

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In a village just outside Port au Prince, the capital of Haiti, a young woman has died. Everyone will come together to mourn.

The Feast of Death is announced. Women are responsible for preparing coffee for everyone to help them stay awake during their vigil of the deceased woman.

The night before the funeral, chants and dances are performed to help the soul of the woman return to her ancestors. The following morning, everyone dresses in their best clothes to attend the funeral.

The grief of the dead woman’s husband is clear to see. The funeral cortege passes through the village several times: this is to confuse the soul of the deceased woman so she will not know the way back home and disturb her family.

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