Afro-Caribbean Funeral Traditions in the UK: Nine Nights and Customs

The Afro-Caribbean community in the UK — descended from people who migrated from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana, and other islands from the 1940s onwards — has a rich and distinctive funeral tradition. These traditions reflect the cultural heritage of the Caribbean, the influence of strong church communities (particularly Pentecostal, Baptist, and other evangelical denominations), and a deep understanding of the funeral as a communal act of love and honour for the person who has died.

Nine Nights: The Community Gathering Tradition

Nine Nights — called “Set Up” in Jamaica — is one of the most distinctive elements of Afro-Caribbean funeral tradition. It refers to the practice of gathering as a community on each of the nine nights before the funeral (traditionally, the nine nights before burial).

The gatherings serve multiple purposes:

• Keeping the bereaved family company so they are never alone in their grief.
• Sharing stories, memories, and laughter about the deceased.
• Singing hymns and gospel songs, and praying together.
• Sharing food and drink — a central act of care in Caribbean culture.
• Spiritually accompanying the soul of the deceased during its transition.

The tradition has roots in West African beliefs about the transition of the spirit after death. In the Caribbean context, it has merged with Christian practice to create something distinctively Caribbean.

In the UK, Nine Nights is typically adapted to practical circumstances:

• Fewer than nine nights may be observed — three, five, or one final “big night” before the funeral are common adaptations.
• Gatherings may be held at the family home, at a church hall, or at another community venue.
• The final night (the night before the funeral) is typically the largest and most significant gathering, sometimes attended by hundreds of people.

The Funeral Service: Formality and Ceremony

Afro-Caribbean funerals are typically formal and elaborate occasions. The elaborateness of the service is understood as an act of love — a final, generous tribute to the person who has died. Common elements include:

• The coffin: A high-quality coffin is the norm — often mahogany or polished dark wood, sometimes with elaborate fittings, a personalised interior, or floral arrangements attached to the lid. The quality of the coffin is often seen as a reflection of the respect the family holds for the deceased.
• Formal mourning dress: Black is the traditional colour — black suits, dresses, hats, and gloves. Some families are moving towards other colours (white, or a specified colour requested by the deceased), but formal dress remains the norm.
• Printed order of service: A professionally printed booklet with a photograph of the deceased, biographical details, hymn words, and often tributes from family members is standard. These can be elaborate productions, and specialist printers who serve the Afro-Caribbean community produce them.
• Floral tributes: Significant floral arrangements are expected. Tributes that spell out names (“DAD,” “NAN,” “BROTHER”) or form symbols are common. The visual display of flowers is an important part of the ceremony.
• Gospel music: Gospel choirs, soloists, and hymns form the heart of most Afro-Caribbean funeral services. Multiple soloists may perform, and the congregation participates in singing.
• Tributes and eulogies: Multiple speakers — family members, friends, colleagues, church members — deliver tributes. These can be lengthy, and funerals often last two to three hours or more.

Community Support: The “Dutty Tough” Days

The concept of community mutual support is deeply embedded in Caribbean culture. The “dutty tough” (hard times or hard days) following a bereavement are understood as a time when the community must step in to support the family.

This support takes many forms:

• Neighbours and church members bring food to the family home — often for weeks after the bereavement.
• The church community provides practical assistance with funeral arrangements, Nine Nights organisation, and catering.
• Mutual aid networks — sometimes informal, sometimes organised through church or community groups — may help with funeral costs through collections.
• Friends and extended family travel from across the UK, the Caribbean, and internationally to attend the funeral — which is why funerals may be scheduled several weeks after the death.

The repast (reception after the funeral) is a major communal gathering, often attended by significantly more people than the formal service. Caribbean food — rice and peas, jerk chicken, curry goat, ackee and saltfish — is central to the repast. This is not incidental; sharing food is a primary act of care and community in Caribbean culture.

Repatriation to Jamaica, Barbados, or Trinidad

For many Afro-Caribbean families in the UK — particularly those whose parents or grandparents migrated from the Caribbean — there is a strong desire to be buried in the country of origin. Phrases like “going home” or “buried back home” reflect a deep connection to the Caribbean that persists across generations.

Repatriation from the UK to Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, or other Caribbean islands requires:

• A funeral director experienced in international repatriation.
• A certified copy of the UK death certificate.
• Embalming — required by airlines and Caribbean countries for the air transport of human remains.
• A zinc-lined or hermetically sealed coffin meeting airline specifications.
• Consular documentation: a transit permit from the destination country’s High Commission or Embassy in London, and burial documentation from the destination country.
• Booking with an airline that carries human remains as cargo.

Costs typically range from £4,000 to £10,000 or more, depending on the destination, airline, and coffin requirements. The process usually takes two to three weeks, so families should begin planning immediately following the death. A funeral director experienced in Caribbean repatriation — there are several in London, Birmingham, and other cities with significant Afro-Caribbean communities — can manage most of this process on the family’s behalf.

Music at the Service

Music is perhaps the most important element of an Afro-Caribbean funeral service. Gospel music, Christian hymns, and congregational singing are central:

• Traditional hymns such as “How Great Thou Art,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Abide With Me,” and “Blessed Assurance” are widely sung.
• Gospel soloists and choirs perform — often the most musically powerful moments of the service.
• Contemporary gospel songs may also be included, particularly for younger mourners.

Secular music — reggae, soca, calypso — is generally reserved for the repast rather than the church service, though this depends on the minister and the family’s preferences. It is important to discuss music choices with the officiating minister at an early stage, as different ministers and denominations have different views on what is appropriate within the service itself.