The Funeral of Esther Pondan – Indonesia

Where: Indonesia, Sulawesi, Tana Toraja
People: Torajans
Religion: Protestantism and Animism
Ritual: Funeral

Esther Pondang died at the hospital in Rantepao and her body was driven home by ambulance, which is customary in the area.

Esther was lying in state for one day inside the family’s house, and people came by to pay her respect. To serve everybody, the family had to sacrifice two buffalos. The meat was cooked over open fire inside hollow bamboo.

Thank you to Esther and to her family for letting me be a part of this beautiful last goodbye.

When someone dies, they are usually transported from the hospital to their home by ambulance.
The coffin is carried upstairs and placed in the living room of the family’s house for the wake.
The women of the family are posing with Esther for an image.
In memory of Esther, big boards with images of her is arranged at the entrance to the family’s compound.
Esther in her coffin with some of her clothes and Pikachu pillows.
Esther’s children and grand children saying a last farewell.
To honour Esthers spirit and to feed all the guests at the funeral, two buffalos are sacried.
The meat is stuffed into bamboo together with leaves and herbs and cooked.
Esther is placed in the yard during the last part of the ceremony.
Guests praying.
The buffalo meat is served with salad and other traditional dishes.
People are singing while carrying Esther to her grave.
Esther’s last stop.