This pink pant suit might seem more appropriate for a party, but at least it's modest. Some of the fashion worn to funerals these days are downright vulgar. Many families also request that mornrers wear cheerful colours to reflect the lifestyle of the deceased. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Jamaican burial rituals are a combination of African, European and Christian practices. Though we have moved away from some of these practices, death in Jamaica is still treated with much reverence by most. The wake, size of the funeral and the food served after the service, still serve as symbols of the family and or the deceased's importance and wealth.

There are many myths and rituals involved in Jamaican funeral arrangements and burial. These include:

Passing the young child of the deceased over the coffin. Before the use of funeral homes, the body was kept at home until the arrangements were completed. Before the coffin leaves the house, the young child of the deceased would be passed between two adults over the coffin. It is believed that this prevents the spirit of the deceased from harming the child.

The traditional colours for funerals are black, purple and white. However, some persons are moving away from this, incorporating bright colours as they look at death as a celebration of the person's life, thus the colours reflect this.

Based on African tradition, if witchcraft (obeah) was suspected as a cause of death, it was the responsibility of the living to see to it that the guilty is punished, to appease the spirit of the dead. As such, the corpse is usually equipped with a knife or razor blade to appease those responsible. Today, the dead is buried with instruments but not for appeasing their death. They are buried with jewellery, money and the newest fad, cellphones.

When digging the grave, white rum was poured on the ground to seek permission of the earth spirit. Today, rum is still integral in the preparation of the grave but does not hold the same significance.

After a funeral, mourners would take some of the earth, and turning their back to the grave, throw it between their legs. This was to prevent the dead from following them home.

Myths

If you point on a grave you have to bite all 10 fingers or they will all rot off.

The wife or girlfriend of the deceased must wear black or red underwear to prevent the spirit from sleeping with them.

The furniture in the bedroom - especially the bed - must be rearranged so a dead spouse cannot find his way back in.

Some women also tie a tape measure around their waist or hang one over the door as well as wear sanitary pads for six months and sleep on her tummy, the latter to prevent the spouse from trying to have sexual intercourse with her.

Some people believe that the clothing of the dead should be burned.

If the house of the deceased is rented right after the death, it should be opened and incense burned in all the rooms before the tenant occupies it.

- Nashauna Drummond