Buzz
Among life's many unknowns, death stands as one of the rare certainties. (Although some people manage to evade paying taxes, after all.) Eventually, unless some radical breakthroughs in medical technology occur, every person reading this will meet their end.
While cremation or burial are common practices, influenced by religious or personal views, many cultures around the world observe unconventional ceremonies (especially from a Western perspective) to honor the deceased and dispose of their remains. Below are ten such unique rituals.
10. Sati
Sati (also known as suttee) is a Hindu tradition in which a widow is set alight on her husband's funeral pyre, either voluntarily or under duress. Other variations of sati involve methods such as burial alive or drowning. This practice was mainly prevalent in Southern India and among higher social classes.
Sati was regarded as the ultimate symbol of a wife’s loyalty to her deceased husband. Though the practice was officially banned in 1827, there have been rare instances of it still occurring in certain regions of India.
9. Mortuary Totem Poles
Totem Poles are tall cedar structures featuring various carved figures, crafted by Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. Mortuary totem poles, particularly those created by the Haida people, have a cavity at the top to house a burial box containing the remains of a chief or prominent individual.
The remains are placed in the box a year after the person's passing. The box is concealed behind a frontal board, intricately carved or painted with a family crest, which is placed across the front. The design of the board gives it a striking resemblance to a large crest.
8. The Viking Funeral
The Vikings’ funeral and burial customs were deeply influenced by their pagan beliefs. They believed that death would lead them to an afterlife within one of the nine Viking realms. To ensure a successful transition, they went to great lengths to prepare the deceased, often opting for cremation or burial.
The funeral of a Viking chief or king was a much stranger affair. According to one account, the chief's body would be placed in a temporary grave for ten days while preparations were made for new clothes. During this period, one of his thrall women was coerced into 'volunteering' to accompany the chief to the afterlife. She was kept under constant surveillance and given ample amounts of alcohol. When the funeral ceremony began, she was required to sleep with every man in the village. Afterward, she was strangled with a rope and ultimately stabbed by the village matriarch. The bodies of both the chief and the woman were placed upon a wooden ship, which was then set alight to serve as the cremation pyre.
7. Ritual Finger Amputation Of The Dani People
The Dani people of Papua New Guinea believe that physically expressing emotional pain is a key part of the mourning process. If a woman loses a family member or child, she is expected to cut off the tip of her finger. Beyond using pain as an emotional outlet, this ritual of finger amputation was also believed to appease and ward off the spirits.
The Dani tribe holds the belief that the spirit of the deceased can cause continued spiritual unrest. While this practice is now prohibited, traces of it are still visible in the older women of the community, many of whom bear mutilated fingertips.
6. Famadihana
Famadihan-drazana, or Famadihana, is a traditional ceremony dedicated to honoring the deceased. This unique festival is predominantly observed in the southern highlands of Madagascar. The event takes place every seven years, between July and September, during the winter months. The ceremony is celebrated with joy, as tears and mourning are strictly prohibited, offering a stark contrast to typical burial rituals.
The ritual begins with the exhumation of corpses, which are then rewrapped in fresh shrouds. Before they are reburied, the bodies are lifted and carried around their tombs multiple times, allowing the deceased to reconnect with their final resting place. Famadihana also serves as a time for family members to be reunited in a shared family tomb. The celebration includes vibrant music, dancing, drinking, and a feast. The most recent Famadihana occurred in 2011, meaning the next one will likely begin soon.
5. Sallekhana
Sallekhana, also referred to as Santhara, is the final vow in the Jain ethical code. This practice is undertaken by Jain ascetics at the end of their lives, where they gradually reduce their intake of food and liquids until they eventually fast entirely. This practice is held in high esteem within the Jain community.
The vow can only be undertaken voluntarily when death is imminent. Sallekhana can last for as long as 12 years, allowing individuals time to reflect on their life, cleanse old karmas, and prevent the accumulation of new ones. Despite its controversial nature, the Supreme Court of India lifted the ban on Sallekhana in 2015.
4. Zoroastrian Towers Of Silence
A tower of silence, or dakhma, is a funerary structure used by followers of the Zoroastrian faith. This practice involves disposing of the deceased by exposing their bodies to the Sun and vultures. Zoroastrians believe that the four elements—fire, water, earth, and air—are sacred and should not be contaminated by traditional burial or cremation. To avoid polluting these elements, they leave the bodies to be scavenged by animals.
These towers are elevated platforms with three concentric rings. The bodies of men are placed in the outer ring, those of women in the middle, and children in the inner circle. Vultures then come to feast on the flesh. The remaining bones are left to be sun-dried and bleached before being placed in an ossuary. Such towers can be found in both Iran and India.
3. Sokushinbutsu
Many cultures believe that a body that does not decompose holds the power to connect with realms beyond the physical. The Japanese Shingon monks of Yamagata took this belief further with their practice of self-mummification, known as sokushinbutsu. They believed this act would grant them eternal life in Heaven and the ability to protect humanity on Earth. The process, which involved mummifying themselves from the inside out, required extreme devotion and self-discipline.
The ritual of sokushinbutsu began with the monk adopting a strict diet of tree roots, bark, nuts, berries, pine needles, and even stones. This regimen helped eliminate excess fat, muscle, and bacteria from the body, lasting anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 days. The monk also consumed sap from the Chinese lacquer tree, making the body toxic to insects after death. During this period, he drank only small amounts of salted water and continued meditation. As death drew near, he would take refuge in a small, tightly packed pine box, which would be buried. After 1,000 days, the body would be exhumed. If it remained intact, it was considered a successful sokushinbutsu. The mummified body would then be dressed in ceremonial robes and placed in a temple for worship.
The entire process could span over three years. Between 1081 and 1903, it is believed that 24 monks successfully underwent the mummification process. However, this practice was criminalized in 1877.
2. Hanging Coffins
For over two thousand years, the Igorot people of Mountain Province in the Northern Philippines have practiced the burial of their dead in hanging coffins attached to the sides of cliffs. This practice is rooted in their belief that placing the deceased at higher altitudes brings them closer to their ancestral spirits.
The Igorot people bury their dead in a fetal position, believing that a person should depart this world in the same way they entered it. However, with younger generations increasingly adopting modern and Christian lifestyles, this ancient burial practice is gradually fading away.
1. Skull Burial
Kiribati, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, once practiced a unique burial ritual before it largely adopted Christian burial customs. Prior to the 19th century, the people of Kiribati engaged in a skull burial tradition. In this practice, the skull of the deceased was kept at home so their spirit could be welcomed into the afterlife by the native god. After death, the body would remain at home for three to twelve days, allowing people to pay their respects. To mask the smell, leaves were burned near the body, and flowers were placed in the corpse's mouth, nose, and ears. Coconut and other fragrant oils were also used to rub down the body.
Several months after the burial, the family would exhume the body, remove the skull, polish it, and display it in their home. The widow or child of the deceased would sleep and eat beside the skull, and often carried it wherever they went. They could also craft necklaces from the fallen teeth. After several years, the skull would be reburied.
