![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED A relative lights a cigarette) THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-8.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
Una tarde, poco antes de las siete, Elisabeth Rante corre una cortina del pasillo e ingresa a la habitación principal de su casa junto a una periodista. “Papa… Papa”, susurra. “Tenemos visitas”. Unos pasos más atrás, uno de los hijos de la pareja llega con una plato de arroz y otro de pescado con chiles. Es la comida para Papa, reseñó Infobae.
“Despierta, Papa, es hora de la cena”, le dice Elisabeth. “Ella te va a sacar una foto”, le avisa, señalando a la periodista del National Geographic que los acompaña.
La escena podría ser similar a la de cualquier pueblo rural del planeta, de no ser por una excepción: Petrus, el esposo de Elisabeth, lleva varias semanas de fallecido. Pero está allí, recostado sobre una cama y cubierto por una sábana a cuadros, como si estuviese durmiendo.
Cuatro días más tarde habrá un funeral masivo para más de cien personas, en el que se realizará un servicio religioso cristiano y se comerá cerdo, verduras y arroz. Petrus será colocado entonces en un ataúd pero volverá a su casa, donde seguirá compartiendo la vida familiar y le prepararán cuatro comidas diarias durante otros cuatro meses hasta su entierro previsto para diciembre. Hasta entonces, su familia se referirá a él como makula, el enfermo.
Los toraja que habitan en la región de Sulawesi, en Indonesia, no creen que la muerte sea un hecho abrupto, como en Occidente, sino un proceso paulatino y lento en el que el alma está presente en un cuerpo sin vida y se va despidiendo de a poco. Por eso, las familias conviven con sus muertos durante días, semanas, meses y a veces hasta años, a la espera de la llegada de algún familiar que se encuentra lejos.
Para los toraja no existen diferencias tajantes entre el mundo de los vivos y el de los muertos. Por eso, aun después del entierro, es habitual que los toraja saquen periódicamente los cuerpos de sus familiares de sus tumbas para llevarlos a su casa, bañarlos, vestirlos con ropas nuevas y ofrecerles alguna de sus comidas o bebidas favoritas.
Misionarios holandeses llegaron a esta región en el siglo XIX. Hoy, los toraja son un enclave cristiano -protestantes y católicos- en un país de mayoría musulmana. Un cristianismo que se ha fusionado con las creencias tribales locales.
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED a man holds his dead child) THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-1.jpg?resize=640%2C959)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED Relatives visit Nene Tiku who passed away 3 days ago in the age of 106. Her relatives believe, Nene Tiku is only sick - not dead )THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-2.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED Family is presenting Djim Sambara, who died 2 years ago when 90. He was honorably buried in his military uniform. As it is usual for Torajans to honor the death to bury them in the clothes they most liked.)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-3.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED people pose with a relative)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-5.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED The family is taking care of their deceased relatives during the ritual of MaNene.)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-6.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED For this family, the cleaning ritual MaNene is almost done. The dead are again cosily bedded in their coffins and ready to rest in the familys mausoleum until next time.)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-7.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED Yohanis 77 years old (right), past away 2 weeks ago. His wife Alfrida Tottong Tikupadang, 65 years old, passed away 5 years ago (left).) THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-10.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED A relative is dressing up his ancestor during the ritual of MaNene)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-11.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
![PIC BY Claudio Sieber / CATERS NEWS - (PICTURED Grandpa Ne Pua, passed away with 85 years. He has been buried in his favorite suit, together with hes favourite belongings, like the mobile phone and glasses.)THESE images show a unique insight into the village where the living dig up their dead relatives to clean their bones and to dress them up. The dead can even remain in homes for decades until the family throw a huge party in their honour. The corpses are treated as sick until they finally find peace after funeral rites known as Rambu Solo The bizarre ritual was pictured in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where even buried relatives are taken out of their coffins for new outfits and a bone polish. SEE CATERS COPY](https://ovxp.mcehc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sulawesi-Indonesia-funerales-SF-12.jpg?resize=640%2C427)