Undergraduate / "Coming from a big Jamaican family" - Diversity Colgate Supplement [4]

In 250 words or less, please respond to the following:

We honor the many different forms of diversity in our community. Your perspective is valuable because it comes from your life experiences, family background, culture, and traditions. Please tell us about a tradition that is important to you that comes from your family, community, or culture.

Coming from a big Jamaican family we have an abundance of traditions. Our traditions are a big part of how we bond as a family. One of our most joyful traditions entails having a big party before the funeral of a friend or loved one; this event is called Night Night. In the summer of 2009 I took part in this event as a result of the death of my Grandmother. During the Night Night my family as well as neighborhood friends, got together to eat, drink, dance, and stayed up all night. My family wore white that night to show our relation to the deceased.

The Night Night is a big part of how we celebrate the dead. It is essential because it is about having fun and enjoying yourself instead of sitting on the couch crying. We don't sleep that whole night because the deceased loved one is, in our mind, sleeping for us. When the funeral came there was a heap of tired bodies but that's just part of tradition. Whenever I take part in this event it is always a tad bit sad because it means that someone has passed but I have fun because it helps bring my family closer together.