Day 94: Cremation Ceremony

Post from Michelle:

After arriving in Ubud, we set out to explore the town. Ubud is known for its culture and artists. In central Bali, it is surrounded by picturesque rice fields and temples. I was excited to experience the town I had heard referred to as "the Santa Fe" of Indonesian for its many artists and galleries.

As we walked along the main road we soon came to a large crowd gathered around a large decorative paper-mache lion and colorful multi-tiered tower. The Indonesian men wore black sarongs, shirts, and head coverings. The Indonesian women wore fancy lace tops and sarongs. The tourists all had their cameras poised, ready for the event to begin.

We had stumbled across a cremation ceremony. The dead body is placed at the base of the tower to be carried to the cremation ground to be burned. As the ceremony began, the air was filled with music, yelling, laughter, and excitement. The funeral is a happy event, symbolizing the release of the soul to be with god. The men lifted the two large structures on their shoulders and started running down the street in a crazy zig-zag path (to confuse the spirit so it would not return home). Following in the procession were musicians, women carrying offerings, and hundreds of people. I think the whole town came out for the ceremony.

We walked through the town, up a steep hill to the cremation ground, surrounded by rice fields. There we watched as the lion, tower and offerings were set on fire. It was surreal to watch the lion's face slowly consumed by orange flames while listening to the ceremonial chants. It was a great introduction to Ubud and the Balinese culture.

Photos From This Location

A cremation procession passes by in Ubud, Bali. The cremation ceremony is one of the most important rituals in the life of a Balinese Hindu. It takes much time and money to plan and can take place up to years after the person's actual death. In the photo here, the body is being carried from a temporary burial ground to the cremation ground in a high tower that can me made of anything including paper, bamboo, string, tinsel, mirrors, silk, cloth, flowers or other colorful items. The large group of men who carry the tower walk down the street in a seemingly drunken manner – zigzagging down the street and spinning the tower in circles. But far from being drunk, these men are trying to confuse the spirits so that they do not return home to cause mischief.
A cremation procession passes by in Ubud, Bali. The cremation ceremony is one of the most important rituals in the life of a Balinese Hindu. It takes much time and money to plan and can take place up to years after the person's actual death. In the photo here, the body is being carried from a temporary burial ground to the cremation ground in a high tower that can me made of anything including paper, bamboo, string, tinsel, mirrors, silk, cloth, flowers or other colorful items. The large group of men who carry the tower walk down the street in a seemingly drunken manner – zigzagging down the street and spinning the tower in circles. But far from being drunk, these men are trying to confuse the spirits so that they do not return home to cause mischief.

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