In most societies, death is inevitable. It is the ultimate reality. Due to the high cost of funerals, the Toraja community in Indonesia preserves its dead. 50 years ago, they even buried deceased infants inside living trees. Next are the Malagasy people of Madagascar, who do not consider death to be the end. They perform a ceremony of dancing with the deceased in accordance with this belief.
On the African island of Madagascar, the Malagasy make up the great majority of the population and are the dominant ethnic group. With numerous distinct ancestral tribes and communities, they are occasionally separated into ‘Highlander’ and ‘coastal dwellers’ groupings. According to the Malagasy people of Madagascar, a person's spirit can only enter the afterlife if their body has completely returned to the soil and their bones have crumbled into dust.
Famadihana, which means "the turning of the bones," "dancing with the dead," or "body turning" in Malagasy, is the name of the ritual. In addition to believing that death is not the end, the group also holds that deceased people's spirits wish to return to Earth. According to the Malagasy, ancestors who are buried in family cemeteries feel bored. As a result, their coffins are occasionally opened, the bodies are covered with shrouds—typically made of silk—and placed in the sun.
The families dance and celebrate around the deceased while they lie down and take in the daylight. They even dance with the corpses while carrying the skeletons covered in brand-new clothing. Every five to seven years, people commemorate this celebration.
This rite is open to tourists; getting to the location can be challenging. For The Crowd Planet, Margherita, author of Dancing with the Dead: Famadihana, wrote a personal essay outlining the ceremony.
She stated that the famadihana is held in Madagascar's highlands from July to October. Every day, hundreds of ceremonies are held, and on weekends, even more. However, unless spoken in French or Malagasy, one will not be able to locate the precise spot. However, tour guides can help. Once you are at the location where people are dancing, playing music, and relishing food while digging the graves of their ancestors, you must participate in the gathering. Not joining the families in celebration is considered disrespectful.
Famadihana is still widely practised by the Malagasy people, although its popularity is waning. According to a 2014 research published by Ancient Origins, there are two main reasons: first, the hostility from some Christian organisations; and second, the expense of holding the festival.
The Malagasy families require a substantial sum of money to accommodate hundreds of guests and buy the pricey silk shrouds, much like the Toraja tribe in Indonesia. In fact, many families save for years to dance and celebrate with the corpses of their ancestors.
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