The Unsettling Proximity of Death on Bali: Fierce Fire and Cool Bones
By: Sita van Bemmelen
The first time I witnessed a ritual washing of the corpse, it was a rather confrontational experience. However, that was not the only time, I felt uneasy. But before I come to that, let us first have a look at what happens after the ritual washing: the sequence of a cremation.
On the day of the cremation, the chest with the remains of the deceased will be brought out of the family courtyard and put in a container (wadah) placed on the side of the road. That container can be an elaborately decorated and multistoried tower, for which Balinese cremations of royal families are so famous. But often it is a much simpler affair. The wadah will be hoisted on a rack made of bamboo and carried to the cremation field called setra by as many men as needed, depending on the weight of the tower. They can number up to a hundred men. Usually the wadah is brought to the setra around mid-midday, so one can imagine how heavy the task of the bearers is.
1 CommentThe Unsettling Proximity of Death on Bali: The Ritual Washing of the Corpse
By: Sita van Bemmelen
Death is a neat affair in the Netherlands, the country where I come from. The only and last relative that I have seen laid in state at home was my grandmother from father’s side, when I was fifteen years old. My other grandparents, my parents and other relatives were all brought to an undertaker’s facility after they had passed away. Someone not known to us laid them off. We could take our leave of them in a solemn room, laying groomed in a nicely upholstered chest and surrounded by beautiful flower arrangements. Still, even a confrontation as benign as this, is often considered a sight unsuitable for the eyes of young children.
Death is thus a matter to be dealt with delicately; sordid details must be tucked away. We do not directly witness the decomposition of the corpse in case of a burial or disposal by fire when cremated. Of course, the covert nature of the proceedings does not diminish the feelings of loss and grief, but perhaps it helps to keep an untarnished memory of a beloved relative or friend, something that is cherished.
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