It's hard to let go of loved ones who are leaving for another world. The memory of them remains in our hearts forever, but it is no longer possible to talk to them or touch them. For this Indonesian tribe, such memories are quite tangible: they keep the remains of deceased relatives in their own homes. Moreover, they are regularly cleaned, changed into new clothes and taken out to “breathe” on the street.

The tribe numbers about a million and lives throughout South Sulawesi. These people believe that after death the soul remains in the house, so the deceased are fed, watered, clothed and even given a smoke. Songa died more than 40 years ago, when he was 70, but he still smokes cigarettes with his grand-nephew.

Clara poses with her sister Arel, who died at the age of six.

Three cousins ​​first met the fourth, who died ten years ago. In the tribal society, it is believed that bodies that are stored in good conditions bring wealth to the family, so everyone tries to take care of deceased relatives as best they can. They are wrapped in bedspreads and placed in beds right in houses or in special buildings - tongkonan.

The bodies of the deceased begin to be processed in the first days after death, so that later they do not decompose. For this, formalin is used - a well-known medical solution based on formaldehyde and water. But the cadaverous smell remains very strong, so the family keeps dried fragrant plants next to the bodies in order to somehow drown out the stench.

At the burial site of a relative, a bull is sacrificed.

he storage of corpses continues until they begin to disintegrate and decay. Sometimes the family collects money to organize a lavish funeral, which costs Rs 700 million (3.25 million rubles), and for the higher castes - 3 billion rupees (more than 17 million rubles). Poor people, who receive an average of 1 million rupees (4,600 rubles) per month, have to take out a bank loan. Therefore, young people are trying to leave for the cities in order to earn money there for the funeral ceremony.

Christina Bane died at the age of 94. Her grandchildren apply a special powder to her grandmother's body to preserve the remains.

The dead are dressed up in new clothes and brought to their homes. In this photo, a man sits next to his deceased wife and her friend.

The deceased are buried along with their favorite things.

The burial ceremony is more like a holiday than a mournful event. But even after a dead man is buried in a mausoleum or in a stone grave, this does not mean that his relatives will not see him again.

The people of the Toraja tribe believe that the bond between the soul and the body does not disappear immediately after death.

This mummy was presented with a watch.

The Ma'nene ritual dates back to the 9th century AD. Today this tradition is combined with the reading of Christian prayers and the Bible. Dutch missionaries arrived here in the 16th century, but the ancient rituals of communication with relatives after death have been continuously drawn through generations.

Some of the dead are buried in coffins in the rocks of Sulawesi.

Wooden figures symbolize those who are buried in coffins.

The sculptures can be seen from the valley.

Love for your departed ancestors and loved ones can be shown in different ways: some bring flowers to their graves, but representatives of the Toraja tribe bring the dead home. Different views on life and death, on the real and the otherworldly world do not prevent everyone who lives on our planet from appreciating and forever remembering dear people who have departed. Maybe somewhere there is that common place where we all meet.