A festival should bring joy, happiness, togetherness, prosperity, just like this festival in the Central of Kalimantan called “Tiwah”.
This is a tradition from people of Dayak Ngaju who celebrate a secondary funeral that was held months even years after the burial.
For centuries, the people of Dayak Ngaju have performed Tiwah. It is a secondary funeral ritual, where the bones of the deceased are taken from the cemeteries, purified and finally placed in an ossuary.
This festival is essential for the people of Dayak Ngaju. The family who was left by the dead ones have a sense that they have to escort their spirit to the spiritual realm as a form of respect. They also believed that if they don’t, the spirit would bring disaster for the people in the village which are a plague, famine, crop failures, and many more.
Come watch our video to further learn about “Tiwah” by clicking the picture below!
