This is the last big party before the spirit of the deceased ascends to heaven in the village of Kandeapi, in Toraja, South Sulawesi. Once the burial is complete, the sprit is finally released. It was a festive occasion, with the friends and family carrying the deceased in the procession from the festival site to […]
Indonesia 25 – Toraja 4 – Pig Heaven
Toraja society is organized along a strict caste system. The person’s caste, or class, is inherited through the mother, and it is strictly forbidden for a woman to marry a man of lower class. The noble, or upper class, is considered to be descended from a person who descended from heaven. When someone of the […]
Indonesia 23 – Toraja 2 – Raising the Dead
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First off, we apologize for the amount of text in this blog post. Please read it all though. Torajan funerals are very complicated affairs that are likely completely foreign to anything you have ever seen or even considered. Without understanding some of this background, none of the photos or video will make sense. Funerals in […]
Indonesia 20 – Bali 11 – Tanah Lot Sunset
Before leaving Bali, we decided to visit Tanah Lot Temple, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations with more than 9,000 visitors daily. Tanah Lot is still an active pilgrimage site, and there were thousands of people bringing offerings and praying at the temple. It is also one of the best locations for […]
Indonesia 16 – Java 6 – Bromo Village
After we were refused entry to the Yadnya Kasada Festival, we searched for alternative activities, since we could not enter the festival boundaries. The local guide asked permission for us to attend the Reception Night, where East Java governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, the first woman governor in Java, would be attending. She was being inaugurated […]
Indonesia 15 – Bali 7 – Galungan Day
Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma or the triumph of good over evil. Praying at the temple is the climax of Galungan Day. The people put on their finest traditional clothes and go to the temple with their families to pray and bring offerings to share. Early in the […]
Indonesia 14 – Bali 6 – Galungan Day Prep
Galungan marks the beginning of the most important religious Hinud holiday that recurs every 210 days in Bali. It is like Christmas, where families come together to celebrate. The spirits of the people who have died and been cremated return to visit their former home, and the family has a responsibility to welcome them through […]
Indonesia 13 – Bali 5 – More Karya Agung Temple Ceremony
An Odalan or temple ceremony usually lasts for three days, but larger ones, which occur every 5, 10, 30 or 100 years, can last for 11 days or longer. This is one of the larger celebrations that occurs every 30 years, called Karya Agung, or “Great Ritual,” and was held at the Pura Puseh Temple at Tulikup […]
Indonesia 12 – Bali 4 – Karya Agung Temple Ceremony
Bali is known as the land of a thousand puras or temples. The reality is there are up to 20,000, since every family also has their own private temple. The Karya Agung temple celebration is a significant event at the 30 year point, in which they ask the gods to come down and join them. […]
Indonesia 3 – Borneo 3 – Festival Budaya Isen Mulang
The Grand Finale of the 2022 Festival Budaya Isen Mulang (FBIM) was the dance competition, with ten regencies (similar to Provinces or States) entering their top teams. We were told to expect traditional dances, but these are not like any traditional dances we have ever seen before! Each dance group were the winners from their […]