tropsluiter, noun
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, professional mourner, from Dutch trop crowd, multitude + sluiten to close + agential suffix -er.
historical
One hired to walk at the end of a funeral procession, thus extending its length. See also huilebalk.
1926 P.W. Laidler Tavern of Ocean 157Funerals were pageants not soon forgotten. Professional mourners — ‘huilbaken,’ as they were called — accompanied the coffin and were paid to weep copiously. For eighteen pence a head ‘tropsluiters’ or extra individuals to lengthen the procession, in number according to the rank of the deceased, could be obtained.
1965 A. Gordon-Brown S. Afr. Heritage III. 10Funerals were accompanied at one time by professional mourners..and others, ‘Tropsluiters’, were paid merely to walk in pairs to lengthen the procession.
One hired to walk at the end of a funeral procession, thus extending its length.
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