When death is not the end

At the Ma’nene ceremony of the Toraja people of Indonesia, the deceased gets a change of clothes three years after burial, writes Adi Safri

WITHOUT doubt, the Republic of Indonesia is home to most unique cultures and celebrations that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. One of them is the Ma’nene ceremony.

Held every three years by the Toraja community at Rinding Allo district in North Toraja, Sulawesi, the Ma’nene, which means “visiting the graves” in Torajan dialect, is the ceremony to clean and change the clothing of the dead.

According to Jonathan Sambara, the Ma’nene ceremony starts with a meeting with the village chief and residents to set a suitable date which is usually after the rice harvest season.

It then begins with the opening of the coffin which is taken out of the grave before the body, which has been preserved, can be cleaned and dried.

“The body is dried for a whole day to ensure it is in ‘fresh’ and clean condition before it is given a new set of clothes that are specially bought for the ceremony,” says Sambara, a villager of Lempo Poton.

He says for the Toraja people, a funeral, including the Ma’nene ceremony, costs more than a wedding as it is considered an important ritual for the community.

“The more financially secure a family, the more it will cost because they also have to sacrifice cows and pigs for a feast for the villagers,” he adds.

For Lempo Poton village chief Ruben Limbu, the 1,066 villagers — the majority of whom are farmers and Christian Protestants — still organise the ceremony because they still hold to the customs and practices of their ancestors who practised the Aluk To Dolo religion.

“The difference now is that we organise the Ma’nene ceremony only as a custom by opening the grave and cleaning the body without the worship ritual like our ancestors,” he says.

For Ludiah Limbong, the wife of the late Daniel Sambara, the ceremony is like a reunion with her husband after three years of separation and the happiness can be clearly seen on her face during the ceremony.

“This is a day that I have been waiting for when I can meet my husband again and all family members returned to gather and meet with Daniel.”

The ceremony ends with the whole community gathering for a feast which is contributed by the family members who conducted the Ma’nene ceremony.

Pictures by Adi sAfri After sunbathing, the body is restored in the grave for family visits on the next day.

The body is dried and cleaned at the Ma’nene ceremony.

Family members clean and change clothes of deceased family members.

Family members clean coffins of dust before they are taken out.

Ludiah limbong wiping her late husband’s head after the coffin is opened.