The Ceremony of Cleaning Corpses in Indonesia
Mia M
Introduction
●Ma’nene festival (the ceremony of cleaning corpses)●The Toraja people of southern Sulawesi, Indonesia●Testament to the saying that love transcends death●Exhuming mummified relatives from rock tombs●Hundreds of corpses are removed ●Dressed as part of the ritual●The spirits of their closed ones remain near and deserve care●Family members save up money for a decent burial ceremony -important aspect for Torajan people
Before the process of the ceremony of cleaning the corpse
●Sacrifice of buffaloes and bulls●a vehicle to an afterlife●Symbol of prosperity of the dead●Two bulls battle in a duel where it is not essential to win ●The way to paradise will be more comfortable●Preservatives to mummify the body ●slow down the process of decomposition
The process of the ceremony of cleaning the corpse
●Exhume the body of a dead relative ●Leave the body to dry and clean●kept wrapped up in blankets●Rest in a tongkonan ●Traditional Torajan 'ancestral' house ●The corpses are dressed up●Paraded around the community
