Dead-yard

noun DED-yaad ˈdɛdjaːd

Also spelled dead yard, dead-yaad

The yard or home of a deceased person, where the family gathers and the community comes to mourn, keep the wake, and hold the nine-night before burial. To 'go a di dead-yard' is to go and pay respects and give support. It is the physical centre of the whole mourning period.

  • Di whole district turn out a di dead-yard.

    The whole district turned out at the mourning house.

  • Wi carry food go a di dead-yard fi di family.

    We took food to the mourning house for the family.

  • Singing go on all night a di dead-yard.

    Singing goes on all night at the mourning house.

From 'dead' (the deceased) + [[yaad]] (yard/home); the gathering place for mourning. See [[yaad]], [[nine-night]].

The home of the deceased, hub of the wake and nine-night. See [[set-up]], [[nine-night]], [[yaad]].