Meaning
A traditional Jamaican folk celebration held during the nine nights of mourning after a death, meant to comfort the grieving family with lively music, dance, and song. Also the name of the spirited dance performed at it, especially in the parish of St. Mary.
Examples
-
Dem keep dinki-mini every night till di nine-night done.
They held dinki-mini every night until the nine-night was over.
-
Di dinki-mini drumming an dancing lift di sad mood.
The dinki-mini drumming and dancing lifted the sad mood.
-
St. Mary famous fi di dinki-mini tradition.
St. Mary is famous for the dinki-mini tradition.
Origin
An Afro-Jamaican wake tradition of Kongo/African roots, performed to console the bereaved; the name is of African derivation. Related to the wider nine-night custom.
How it’s used
Part of Jamaican death-and-mourning customs, meant to bring joy amid grief. See [[nine-night]].