What is the Rambu solo ceremony?
One of these in Indonesia is called rambu solo’ performed by Torajan people in Toraja (or Tana Toraja). Rambu solo’ is a traditional funeral ceremony, which aims to respect the spirits in returning to the immortality life with their ancestors.
What is the death ritual of Tana Toraja?
In a ritual known as ma’nene, Torajan families tidy up the mummified bodies and their tomb every one to three years, usually in August. Relatives who may have been dead for well over a decade are removed from their crypts, cleaned of any bugs, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and wiped and sprayed from head to toe.
Why are Toraja funeral ceremonies unique?
The funeral ceremony can last about 3-5 days, and concludes with the deceased finally buried in a mausoleum or stone graves. Torajans have unique funeral rites that include dressing and caring for their beloved dead relatives. Photo by Claudio Sieber.
What is Toraja funeral?
Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, burial sites carved into rocky cliffs, massive peaked-roof traditional houses known as tongkonan, and colourful wood carvings. Toraja funeral rites are important social events, usually attended by hundreds of people and lasting for several days.
What was the ritual called when someone would exhume dig up a loved one?
During the Ma’nene festival, an ancient ritual held every three years, the bodies are dug up and admired by loved ones and dressed in new clothes. Coffins are also repaired or replaced to stop the bodies from rapidly decomposing.
What does Indonesia do with their dead?
In a mountainous area of Indonesia, the Toraja people mummify the bodies of the deceased and care for their preserved bodies as though they are still living. The Torajan people believe that after death the soul remains in the house so the dead are treated to food, clothing, water, cigarettes.
What do dead bodies wear?
A burial gown or shroud is a garment used to dress the deceased. This is an alternative option for loved ones to consider if they are having trouble with picking funeral clothes. One key advantage of a shroud is that they are adjustable, with slits and drawstrings across the back.
What was the name of the Toraja funeral ceremony?
Toraja people was have unique traditional ceremony thats its interesting to be seen, its called Rambu Solo.
How long does the Rambu Solo Tana Toraja ceremony last?
Rambu Solo Tana Toraja funeral ceremonies usually last for days around 2-3 days and begin during the day. For the nobility, usually this ceremony lasts almost 2 weeks. Other activities in this ceremony besides cutting buffalo are preparing graves for the bodies to be buried.
How long does it take for a Rambu Solo funeral?
Rambu Solo takes a long time to celebrate, sometimes the funeral held in a weeks, months, even years after death, so that the family can collect enough money to cover the costs of rituals. Toraja is the tribe who settled in the south-east of Sulawesi island, Indonesia.
What do you need to know about Rambu Solo?
Rambu Solo ceremony is a unique Tana Toraja funeral ceremony consisting of a series of activities that are quite a lot, requires a large cost, and months of preparation. While waiting for the preparation of this ceremony, the bodies of the deceased were not buried but were kept in the ancestral house (Tongkonan) wrapped in cloth first.
