Haitian Funeral Traditions: What to Expect and How to Show Respect

A death in a Haitian family draws in the whole extended family, and grief is expressed openly and together. This guide is for guests, coworkers, friends, and professionals, and for Haitian families thinking about how to plan in the United States. It describes common practice, not a rule for every family, and it is careful about what it does not say.

Who is this guide about?

A 2015 counseling journal article, citing earlier data, put the number of Haitian immigrants in the United States at about 546,000, and many more people have Haitian roots. Haitians speak Haitian Creole, and some also speak French. Most Haitians today are Roman Catholic or Protestant, and some practice Vodou, a religion with African roots, often alongside Christianity. Many families blend the two, and how much depends on the person, the family, and how long they have lived in the United States.

What shapes Haitian beliefs about death?

For most families, it is their Christian faith: prayer, church, and the hope of heaven. For some, Vodou also shapes beliefs about the soul. The American Counseling Association’s guide for counselors describes the belief that each person has two souls, that they remain near the body for several days after death, and that a priest or priestess of Vodou later performs rituals to free the soul, which then becomes a protective spirit for the family. Vodou is a religion with private ceremonies, and it carries a stigma in some places. This guide does not describe any ceremony, and it asks readers to treat it with the same respect as any other faith.

What happens after a death?

The response to a death is often visible and loud. The counselors’ guide notes that wailing and crying are common ways to mourn, and a Uniformed Services University fact sheet says crying and wailing at the time of death are a normal part of Haitian grieving. Please do not read this as losing control or try to quiet it. A death usually involves all the extended family, and funeral-industry sources say the oldest family member often takes the lead in planning and that a relative may give the person a final bath. Burial may be delayed until relatives can arrive, sometimes from other states or countries.

What might I see at the funeral?

Many Haitian American funerals follow Catholic or Protestant patterns similar to other Christian funerals, with a service at a church or funeral home and burial. See Catholic Funeral Traditions and Protestant Funeral Traditions. The counselors’ guide says families may also hold a wake every evening until the funeral to remember and celebrate the person’s life. Funeral-industry sources describe a social occasion over several days, with family traveling in, shared meals, and gathering, and say many families prefer burial, often above ground in a mausoleum with an elaborate monument. Cremation is less common.

What happens after the funeral?

Funeral-industry sources describe a mourning period of about a week to nine days after the funeral, with socializing and prayers, and a gathering or service on about the ninth day. Practices differ by family and church, so ask what is planned. Memorial customs vary with the family’s economic situation and how settled they are in the United States, as the ACA article notes.

How can I be a good guest?

Show up and stay with the family: involvement of the whole extended family is expected, and your presence matters more than anything you say. Expect open expression of grief, and do not ask people to hold back. Avoid assumptions about Vodou, and do not ask about it unless the family brings it up. Ask before taking photographs or bringing anything, and follow the family’s lead on what to wear. If you work with the family as a counselor, nurse, or funeral director, the counseling guide recommends a strengths-based approach, involving family, working with spiritual leaders, and using a professional interpreter rather than relying on family members to interpret.

What should families planning a funeral in the United States think about?

Talk early with your church, pastor, or priest about timing and whether a wake each evening is possible at your funeral home. Ask funeral homes whether they have served Haitian families and what above-ground options exist in your area, which differ by region. Because relatives may travel, decide with the funeral home how long the body can be held and what it costs; see How to Compare Funeral Homes and Understand Pricing. The ACA article notes that Haitian Americans use mental health services at low rates, and that many describe distress through physical symptoms. Faith communities and trusted family are often the first place people turn, and a Haitian counselor or pastor can help if grief becomes overwhelming.

What doesn’t this guide cover?

• Vodou ceremonies, which we have not described out of respect and because we found no public source we could responsibly rely on
• Burial in Haiti and shipping remains, which involve separate legal steps
• Differences between families, including class, church, region of Haiti, and generation
• Review by the community. This guide needs review by Haitian community members, pastors, and priests before it is promoted widely

Practices vary widely by community, family, and faith. This is general information, not religious or legal advice and not a substitute for the family’s own guidance. It has not yet been reviewed by members of the Haitian community.