For the poor rural individual, death is usually not planned for and financial resources are lacking when the moment comes. It is obligatory to wear black after the death of a family member, unless the person who has died has specified to wear white before they died. The length of time that person must wear black depends on the relationship of the individual and/or who is older, the mourner or the individual who died. It is expected that food will be served for all who come to pay their respects and that dominoes will be played. There is often an awning placed at the entrance to the house to eat and play dominoes. If a family can afford it, they will take the body to the funeral home and have it embalmed. Most people are buried the same day they died, due to lack of funding for the funeral home.

A funeral procession may be with the casket in a vehicle if the family knows someone with a vehicle, otherwise the coffin is carried by individuals, sometimes great distances. Singing is important and sometimes choirs are hired to sing. A church funeral is preferred, but if a Christian does not have his or her perseverance card up to date, the funeral will not be allowed to be in the church. A non-Christian funeral is obvious when the group is coming down the road or street, as the pallbearers will be dancing the coffin around. This is to keep spirits from entering the body, by fooling them to think that the person is still alive. This is to prevent the individual from becoming a zombie. Grave robbing is big business, as the human bones are used for Voodoo spells.

Most rural Haitians do not understand how to check a pulse or know if someone is dead or just fainted. Sometimes, if someone does not respond, it is assumed that they are dead.