Funeral Customs of Guyana

Guyanese culture is rich with folklore and traditional beliefs about life and death. People who are familiar with or from this nation are very much aware of the importance and reverence that the dead hold in this society, and when someone passes away far from home it is commonplace for the family to request the services of an international funeral shipping company to provide funeral shipping to Guyana that is efficient, quick and respectful. Here are some of the customs of Guyana with regards to the dead.

• All references to the dead are prefaced with the words “God rest the dead in the living and the looking.”
• The body of the deceased is usually washed and dressed by the family.
• There is a gathering similar to a wake for mourning and saying farewell.
• Nine days after the wake, there is a “nine night,” which is held in memory of the deceased.
• Mirrors in the home are covered, for fear of seeing the deceased.
• Homes are swept out in order to usher the spirit of the dead out and urge him or her not to take any family members with him or her.
• Much of the religious customs follow Christian practices.

When you need to bring a departed family member home to Guyana, contact the experts at Bergen Funeral Service Inc. We are experienced with the burial traditions of many cultures and can accommodate anything you need during this emotional time.

Bergen Funeral Service Inc

2009 Mermaid Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11224

718-373-0880