Ritual Ma'nene ( Ma’nene )

Ma'nene - a ritual performed among the Toraja people on the island of Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia. During this holiday, celebrated in honor of the dead, the graves of deceased ancestors are opened.

The ritual complements the local cult of the dead. It remains poorly researched, however, and has been fought by Christian clergy for a century. It is practiced only by the inhabitants of the northern, high-mountain fringes of the region, least exposed to the influence of Christianity.

During ceremonies, traditional tombs are opened to pay tribute to the dead. In addition, the contents of many graves are brought outside, where the bodies are subjected to various types of refreshing treatments. The exhumation is accompanied by the transfer of the bodies to a new coffin or their cleaning and change of clothes. This ceremony takes place several times at different intervals.

The ma'nene ritual is one of the reasons for the tourist popularity of this region of Indonesia.