The rituals of this Indonesian ethnic group for the “preservation of dead bodies” will shock you

Did you know that people of the Toraja ethnic group in South Sulawesi, Indonesia follow a bizarre tradition? People from different parts of the world follow different traditions. You will be surprised to hear about the strange traditions followed by people in the Toraja region of South Sulawesi. They remember their loved ones in a very peculiar way after death. Like Indian traditions, they also have a few special days of the year when they remember their ancestors – but not by worshipping, but by performing a bizarre ritual. The tribe of the Tana Toraja region considers inanimate objects to be alive. In their view, everyone, whether human or animal, has a soul and should be respected. They believe that death is not sudden, but a gradual process towards the afterlife. For this reason, they do not bury their loved ones immediately after death. The body of the deceased is wrapped in several layers of cloth and protected from decay by a layer of formaldehyde and water underneath the tongkonan. It is said that they preserve the body for years. According to Torajan belief, a well-preserved corpse promises a good future, so families go to great lengths to ensure that the deceased remain in the best possible condition.

They also perform some rituals like bathing and washing the corpse, dressing the corpse in new clothes, talking to them, taking photographs of them, preparing food and drinks and even giving them cigarettes to smoke as if they were alive.

After the celebration is over, they clean the graves of the deceased and bury them there. This ritual is accompanied by singing and dancing every year. In addition, animals from buffaloes to pigs are also sacrificed. The richer a person is, the more animals are slaughtered. The number can even reach up to 100. After slaughter, the meat of these animals is fed to the people who come to the gathering.