Why Caribbean Families Sometimes Delay Burials: Understanding the Cultural Meaning Behind the Time Gap

In May 2025, the world received news of the passing of Ronald Fenty, the father of global music icon Rihanna. However, it wasn’t until July that he was finally laid to rest in his homeland of Barbados. For many unfamiliar with Caribbean customs, the time between his death and burial sparked questions: Why the delay? Is this normal in Caribbean culture?

The answer lies deep in the heart of Caribbean traditions, where funerals are not rushed affairs but rather deeply personal, community-centered ceremonies rooted in respect, celebration, and careful planning.

In much of the Caribbean, especially in islands like Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and others, funerals are seen as both a time to mourn and a chance to celebrate a person’s life. Families often choose to delay burial to allow ample time to prepare a fitting farewell.

These ceremonies often involve extended family traveling from across the world, vibrant music, religious services, and traditional rites.

This time of preparation is not a delay due to negligence, but a conscious decision to honor the dead.

Many Caribbean families are global, with relatives living in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and other parts of the world. It can take weeks for everyone to gather, especially when arranging visas, time off work, or international flights. Delaying burial ensures that everyone who wants to be present has a chance to say goodbye.

Unlike quick-turnaround funerals in some Western cultures, Caribbean funerals are often large events involving:

Memorial services in churches

Musical tributes (sometimes live bands or gospel groups)

Printed funeral programs (booklets)

Catering for after-service gatherings

Burial in family-owned plots or specific church cemeteries

All these require time to organize, especially if the person was well-known.

In Barbados and other islands with strong Anglican, Catholic, or Pentecostal roots, funerals follow certain traditional orders. The services are formal, involving clergy, hymns, prayers, and eulogies, and there’s a reverent tone to the process that must be preserved.

In some Afro-Caribbean and Rastafarian traditions, death is also spiritualized, requiring time to honor the soul’s journey.

Although Rihanna is a billionaire, not all Caribbean families have the financial resources immediately available for funeral costs. A burial can be expensive, and some families choose to delay until everything can be arranged with dignity.

Even for high-profile figures, the principle of preparing a proper send-off remains a priority over speed.

Rihanna, known for her deep ties to Barbados, is no stranger to island customs. Her decision (and likely her family's) to wait nearly two months to bury her father speaks not only to logistical realities but also to a cultural respect for the dead.

Ronald Fenty’s final goodbye was not just a quiet event, it was a homegoing, a farewell that allowed time for reflection, celebration, and closure.

In an era of fast news and even faster funerals, Caribbean traditions remind us that death doesn’t have to be hurried. A delayed burial is not a sign of disorganization, it is often the opposite. It is a choice, rooted in love, heritage, and the belief that everyone deserves a well-prepared journey home.

So when we see public figures like Rihanna honoring her father months after his death, we are not witnessing delay, we are witnessing devotion.

In some Caribbean communities, "Nine Night" or "Dead Yard" is a traditional nine-day mourning period where friends and family gather for nightly prayers, food, music, and remembrance, another reason why funerals aren’t rushed.