The people living in Jamaica follow a number of ancient traditions and principles. Some of these have relations with the birth and death practices of a person. The customs have been practiced for many years and even Jamaicans living abroad tend to practice these regardless of their location. If you visit remote areas in the country, you might be surprised to find folks who still know the ancient traditions very well. One of the basic customs that is still practiced at present involves burying the umbilical cord of a newborn baby.
A tree is planted where the umbilical cord is buried. It is called a “baby’s tree” or “navel-string tree”. The baby might visit the spot someday when he is older to remind him of his roots and place of birth. The custom is still widely practiced by many Jamaicans. There are many other practices that other people like to know more about.
Another funeral custom is called the “Nine Night”. When a person dies, his friends, family and loved ones gather at his house for the first eight nights. These guests would dance, drink, dine and sing the entire night. On the final night or the ninth night, only farewell tunes are played. The room of the person who died will be reorganized so that his spirit will no longer recognize it and will not come back to stay. The last meal is also served to the spirit of the dead and placed below a silk-cotton tree. There is a traditional Jamaican wedding celebration that is full of food and cheer. This is one of the rare times when the entire family gathers to celebrate.