damirifa due

1. The condolence for a death
Damirifa due is the traditional way to share grief when someone dies. You say it to the bereaved family, cry it out at the funeral, and write it in tributes and messages. It is often repeated: Damirifa due, due, due! A final o adds feeling: Damirifa due o!

2. To the family
With the family, add Due ne amanehunu (Sorry for your suffering). See Sympathy: due.

3. To the one who has died
Mourners also speak to the dead directly and wish them a safe journey: Nante yie (Go well). A tribute might say Nana, yɛma wo nante yie. Damirifa due! (Nana, we bid you farewell. Deepest condolences!) Funeral programmes also use Da yie (Sleep well).

4. Drums and dirges
At funerals the talking drums sound damirifa due, and the phrase returns again and again in funeral dirges. See Talking Drums.

5. Only for death
Damirifa due is for a death. For a fall, an illness or bad luck, say plain due. For good news, say Ayekoo (Well done), never due.

6. A word of comfort
A well-known proverb reminds mourners that death comes to all: Owuo atwedeɛ, baakofoɔ mforo (Death's ladder is not climbed by one person alone). See Saying Hard Things Gently for gentle ways to speak of death.