Ma'nene Ritual, Walking Dead Ceremony in North Toraja

Photo Source: AFP via Liputan6

INDEPHEDIA.com - The Ma'nene tradition is a traditional ritual of the people of North Toraja, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. This walking corpse ceremony is carried out in order to change the clothes of the corpses of their ancestors.

Ma'nene is included in the solo sign ceremony (death). In this ritual, corpses that are tens or even hundreds of years old are removed from the grave to be cleaned and changed.

The implementation of the Ma'nene ritual is carried out every three years. The ceremony is usually held in August before the harvest. The indigenous people of Toraja believe that this ritual brings blessings to the rice fields and fields they cultivate.

Before the Ma'nene procession was carried out, the local community first visited the location where the ancestors were buried at the Patane cemetery in Lembang Paton, Sariale District, the capital of North Toraja Regency.

Before the coffin is opened and removed, the elders, commonly known as Ne' Tomina Lumba, recite a prayer in Old Toraja.

After that, the corpse is removed and cleaned from head to toe using a clean brush or cloth. Then, then the corpse was put on new clothes and laid back in the coffin.

During the procession, some of the men form a circle to sing songs and dances that symbolize sadness. This song and dance movement is intended to encourage the families left behind. (US/IND)