The history of the Salvation Army in Jamaica

Photo Courtesy : Salvation Army Facebook Page


Many Jamaicans believe that when a person dies, his soul goes toheaven but his spirit stays for a while, sometimes permanently. Some say the duppy rises on the third day after the burial and returns to the house to wander around his/her possessions, finally leaving on the ninth night. Relatives and friends gather at the house of the dead to welcome his return and send him back to the grave. Often cause for celebration, wakes or ‘set-ups’ are held and on the ninth night; an all-night vigil is sometimes held.

Signs of Death

According to the Jamaica Information Service’s (JIS) (1991) Jamaica Folk Customs and Beliefs, omens of death include: the unusual crying of animals, birds or insects; the crowing of a cock inside the house. Similarly, the sudden occurrence and abrupt end of a rain shower on a clear day and a loud knock on the door or roof for no apparent reason are taken to mean death is imminent. If two people say the same thing at the same time, it means they will die together. If you add to a house or cut down an old tree, you must kill a goat or a chicken and shed the blood to prevent the death of someone in the house.

Coping with Death

JIS (1991) and Hopwood (2003) note the following beliefs are designed to protect the living. They tend to be quite specific and require strict adherence to instructions. Many include the use of water.

For example, one must not throw out the water used to wash the dead body unless the duppy is told first. Some say that the water must be emptied into the grave following internment.

All the mirrors in the ‘dead’ room must be covered so as to prevent the reflection of the living being cast upon the dead. This prevents the living from pining away. Some believe that the water and a light must be left on in the room and the room must remain unchanged for nine nights. The water must be emptied each morning.

To rid the house of the ghost of the dead person, you can also burn rosemary and scatter rice.

Place 10 coffee beans in the ‘dead’ room and no duppies can enter – they can only count to nine.

In order for the spirit of the dead not to return and haunt any family member, they must all say goodbye to the corpse and every child must be lifted and passed over the coffin while its name is said. No tears are to fall on the body or the ghost will return to haunt the mourner. The body should also not be kissed or the teeth of the kisser will rot.







  • A calabash tree should be planted at the head and foot of the grave.








Use your left hand to strike a duppy.

Do not kill any green lizards in a graveyard as theyare believed to be duppies.




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