Greetings from the Philippines
Hanging coffins in Sagada
The people of Sagada traditionally followed a unique burial ritual, hanging their coffins from cliffs or placing them in a cave. They believed that the higher the dead were placed, the greater chance of their spirits reaching a higher nature in the afterlife.
This ancient tradition dates back over 2,000 years and is still practised by some today. The coffins can be seen in various locations around the town. Eventually they fall, or decay and break apart (in one cave we saw skulls, another has human bones). The oldest of those coffins we saw was, we were told, around 200 years old.
According to custom, the elderly carve their own coffins out of hollowed logs. If they are too weak or ill, their families prepare their coffins instead. The dead are placed inside their coffins, traditionally in a foetal position as it is believed we should leave this life as we entered it. To facilitate this a dead person would be seated in a chair in the family home for some days, receiving visitors and gifts. We saw some fascinating old photos of this practice in an interesting museum we visited in Bontoc, taken by Filipino photographer Eduardo Masferré.
A few more bonus photos:
9 Comments
Heyjude
Love that first photo. How on earth do they get them up there? Must be dangerous, though didn’t Phil say that it is no longer practised? I wouldn’t fancy seeing the human bones and skulls (and yes I did see them in your other photo).
Anne Sandler
Wow, that’s a unique custom!
Sarah Wilkie
It’s one of the things that made us curious to visit this region
Sue
Oh, my goodness!
Sarah Wilkie
Fascinating, eh?!
kzmcb
I might put that in my advanced care directive.
Sarah Wilkie
Hmm, not sure I would!!
Washe Koda
Wow I was at the Subic Bay Navel Station in 1976 and the monsoon’s and typhoons destroyed the cemeteries there they bury families on top each other 20 people deep sometimes
Sarah Wilkie
I’ve seen them several people deep in some places we’ve been but nowhere near 20!