ThombStone Feast
The following information was taken from Dwight Logan's book 'The Socio - Cultural History of Petite Martinique A fishing island Community'.
A tombstone feast is the final activity held in honor of a dead. It is a ritual associated with the laying of a tombstone on a grave. The tomb can also be erected in the yard. This is done in the case of a deceased who lost his/her life by drowning and was never found. A tombstone feast demands lots of groundwork. The headstone is ordered either from England, the United States of America or Trinidad or is made locally from cement (concrete). This is done at least two months before the feast.
When the headstone arrives on the island, it is brought with much fanfare to the home of the deceased where is placed under the bed on which the individual slept while he/she was alive. It would remain there until the feast. Family members overseas are notified well in advance with the intention that they would make travel arrangement to be present for the event or make their contribution in cash or kind.
On the day of the feast, relatives and friends usually make a contribution of drinks. or food items to be cooked. The women in the community would assist in the preparation of the "Saraca" at the deceased house. The men would gather in the cemetery to help with the building of the "body" of the tombstone, into which the headstone will be placed. The community do it without pay.
When the "Saraca" is prepared, a portion is carried to the cemetery and shared among the people there. The women who helped with the cooking will get their bowls and dishes filled and rest distributed to individuals who would visit the host home throughout the day.
The family in charge of the feast will put together a sacrificial plate for the dead called the "Parent Plate" by cooking another portion of saraca food but this time a small amount.
On that day the headstone which is inscribed the name, age, birth and death date of the deceased, is placed on a bed, covered with a white bed sheet and decorated with an array of the headstone; they believe that the deceased is present in the form of the headstone.
They pour rum and water on it, wishing him/her all the best in the unknown or asking him/her to protect them form all imminent sickness or death the impending sickness or death can be reveled to the family member through dreams, since it is believed that the dead can see what is approaching before it occurs.
A few hymns are sung and after much weeping and talk about the life of the individual, the headstone is taken to the cemetery accompanied with string band music or the singing of hymns to be fitted into 'body' of the tomb. The activity continues with merriment and can go very late into the night. A wake can aslo take place. If this is done, the headstone is taken to the cemetery at 6 a.m tam thefolowing morning.