Exposing dead bodies, stabbing each other in festivals or chopping off fingers… Many tribes in Indonesia still carry on ancient, bizarre and very barbaric practices.
Every three years, the corpse will be exhumed, washed, cleaned and dressed.
The Toraja tribe in the mountains of Tana Toraja, Sulawesi (Indonesia) has a very strange tradition. They take their dead relatives out of the grave and perform the Ma’nene ritual. Rituals are a way for Torajans to show respect to the deceased, even long after death has occurred.
Every three years, the corpse is exhumed, washed, cleaned and dressed (usually the deceased’s best or favorite clothes), and then walked around the village. After the ceremony, the family will take a photo with the person and take them back to the grave. The Torajans believe that by doing this, the spirits of the deceased will bless them.
Tau Tau is a wooden or bamboo carved effigy representing the deceased.
Also a tradition from Tana Toraja, Tau Tau are wooden or bamboo carved effigies representing the deceased, often resembling that person and can be found near graves. The Torajans believe that the spirits of the dead will continue to live through the Tau Tau and serve as guardians of the tomb.
At a tomb called Kuburan Batu Lemo, 75 holes in a stone wall are filled with Tau Tau. This tomb is estimated to have been built in the 16th century, making it the second oldest tomb in Toraja.
If the Toraja babies died before the age of six months, the parents would wrap them in Enau leaves and bury them inside the hole of a Tarr tree.
The Torajans also have a small cemetery at the base of the tree. For them, babies under six months of age (and without teeth) are considered sacred. So, if the Toraja babies died before the age of six months, the parents would wrap them in Enau leaves and bury them inside the hole of a Tarra tree, symbolizing the baby’s return to the womb. Although this tradition is slowly disappearing, these baby graves can still be found in Tana Toraja as a way of preserving culture.
This tribe believes that the dry human skull has powerful magic that helps to produce a good harvest.
In addition to the custom of digging the bodies of relatives, the Dayak tribe has a tradition of bathing the skulls of village enemies. This sacred, strange but terrifying ritual is called Nyobeng. Many years ago, the Dayak people collected the skulls of people killed in the Mengayau (the custom of headhunting enemies, other tribesmen). Every year, they perform the Nyobeng ritual to bathe and clean those skulls
This tribe believes that the dry skulls of humans have strong magic to help them grow crops and ward off evil spirits. Although banned by the government, the Nyobeng ritual continues as a way of expressing gratitude for good harvests.
The custom of drying dead bodies in bamboo cages is only for married people.
Trunyan, a mountain village on the eastern shore of Lake Batur is the only place in Bali that still retains this ancient ritual. When a villager dies, the body is not buried or cremated, but placed in a bamboo cage to decompose. Until all the flesh had disintegrated, the skull was removed from the remains of the skeleton and placed on a stone altar beneath a sacred tree.
The custom of drying dead bodies in bamboo cages is only for married people. Those who died before marriage were simply buried. Trunyan Cemetery, where the bamboo cages are located, is located near the village, but traditionally only men can access the cemetery, after crossing Lake Batur by boat.
Dani women perform a ritual of amputating their fingers after the death of a loved one.
Taking place in Papua (Western province of New Guinea, Indonesia), an unbelievable ritual exists among the Dani tribe. Dani women perform Ikipalin, the ritual of amputating fingers after the death of a loved one. The Dani believe that misfortune caused by the death of a family member can be removed by amputation of the finger.
The Dani people attach great importance to the deceased, especially family members. They also believe that the death of a loved one is not only a mental pain but also a physical pain. Ikipalin symbolizes that pain. The Dani people have maintained this tradition for thousands of years and have no intention of changing or leaving.
Kebo Keboan is a ritual to pray for rain and divine protection.
Every culture or religion has a unique way of offering devotion to the gods. And a particularly odd custom in Banyuwangi involves impersonating a water buffalo. Every month of Muharram or Suro according to the Javanese calendar, “water buffaloes” will roam the streets of the village.
In essence, these “water buffaloes” are just men smeared with coal or oil, wearing horns and bells around their necks. Then they parade and dance excitedly through the village streets. Kebo Keboan is a ritual to pray for rain and divine protection. Men dressed as water buffalo, the most powerful and sacred animal in agriculture, symbolize power.
Despite the risks, the Sumba people firmly believe that pain and blood are never wasted.
The remote island of Sumba, where you can witness a particularly bloody Thanksgiving called Pasola, an ancient war ritual practiced by the Sumba men. Twice a year, the villages of Sumba meet and organize a fight between horsemen, hurling large wooden spears at each other.
Wooden spears, although quite blunt, can still cause wounds, even serious injuries and lead to death. Despite the risks, the Sumba people firmly believe that pain and blood are never wasted. They believed that the blood spilled on the land would ensure a more bountiful harvest in the future. Many visitors come to Sumba just to see this festival.
On the island of Mentawai, vampire-like sharp teeth are said to be the standard of beauty.
On the island of Mentawai, vampire-like sharp teeth are said to be the standard of beauty. Here, a woman with sharp teeth is more attractive, will be happier and peaceful for the rest of her life than having normal, square teeth.
Using coarsely ground steel or wood, the village chief will grind and carve the woman’s teeth. The ritual can last for hours as each tooth needs a perfect shave to get a sharp tip. Grinding tools do not disinfect, rituals do not use any anesthetic, the Mentawa woman must endure pain to become what is considered beautiful. They believe that pain is temporary, but happiness lasts forever.