This Is How Minahasan Buried The Death
Coming back to place where I live now, after so many years in Makassar giving me new spirit to explore, not only for it landscape but also about it culture.
There are many tribe in North Sulawesi, Minahasan, Mongondow, Sangir, and Other Tribe in Indonesia who live in Here. But Those 3 is a Native in North Sulawesi, although some or their language a little bit similar with Filipino people Language Tagalog.
But for today post I will share with you about one particular Tribe, Minahasan. What fascinate me is how their buried their family in the Stone Called Waruga.
Waruga is a cube-shaped stone that is made hollow and covered with a pyramid-shaped stone resembling a house roof.
The body of the deceased is then placed in a crouched sitting position, hugging the knees to the face as if kissing them, like a baby in the womb.
But when Dutch came to This place and bring Christianity to Minahasan people this buried ritual is forbid and replace using a wooden coffin like a European way. Another reason why the Dutch banned the Minahasa people from burying their dead in Waruga was due to a disease outbreak. But I think the reason is connected with religion. Because Minahasa people already using this method since 9th Century.
In the past Every house family have their own Waruga, one Waruga for One Family Husband and Wife. Sometimes it past for their children. In later century Waruga have a relief craft to it, to tell the story about the life of the decease and what they do when they alive.
The older Waruga have nothing to it. Just a stone cube with Pyramid Roof.
What do you think guys? Do you think this place is beautiful? Hope you enjoy my post.
Thank You For Reading My Post and Thank You For All Curators for the Endless Support, Until Next Time, Peace✌️ and Love ❤️ from Indonesia
Here I Am Explore and Expose The Exotic, Regards @mytravelandscape
| Travel Story| Thought| Tutorial| YouTube
Airmadidi 7 September 2026
Unless otherwise specified, text and photos are copyright
| Travel Story| Thought| Tutorial| YouTube
Airmadidi 7 September 2026
Unless otherwise specified, text and photos are copyright
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.
Es un lugar hermoso. Además la información que compartes tiene gran valor histórico, religioso y hasta político, porque dejar las costumbres autóctonas para asumir otras debió haber sido producto de algún tipo de "dominación", ¿o me equivoco?
Honestly I totally agree with you, but I think from the dutch point of view The Minahasan people at the time still don't have religion they still believe in animism/dynamism While their Neighbors Already embarrassing Islam and have protection from Ternate Sultanate.
The same situation occur in Torajan People They embarrassing Christianity but also preserve their own culture, for Minahasan People Embracing Christianity But Abandoned their own century Old Culture To becoming like European..
Do you believe the Europeans didn't have their own religion? If so you are wrong. Also Europeans are not one country but different countries with own cultures and religions.
The Dutch were Germanic peoples with their own gods.
Yes I know before Christianity European have their own religion before the Roman Spread Christianity.
For the Minahasan Their Enemy Actually is another European. Spanish, when Spanish Come to North Sulawesi they already Colonized Filipina, they come to Minahasa land to Conquest, build Catholic Church but failed in Minahasa.
The interesting thing is that many of those who arrived first are rarely mentioned. The Spanish, the French, The English and who knows who more.
Still, I also believe people had free choice. Unlike in Europe people were not burned or put in trials and told they slept with the devil and are witches (men were the first witches by the way).
There are so many religions and if it comes to it it is basically the same ... In a way the Romans understood that as they forced the Jewish religion upon us.
Interesting might be, that if it comes to the Dutch, religion in the Netherlands hardly has a foot at the ground since the 60s.
Most churches are used for musea, shops, exhibitions, changed into appartements etcetera.
The more education, the fewer the need to believe in that one and only God who turns out to save no one and seems to be the god for one country only and approved killing entire nations.
The result? For sure people do believe in something but do so at home, the institution "church" lost its power (manipulation) and finding ones roots are more important.
Without roots, there's no identity.