Have you ever wondering about rituals from all around the world? have you heard of "Famadihana, dancing with the dead"? There must be a lot of unbelievable rituals like this one from other side of this planet earth, right? This is the start of the series regarding that topic.
Hopefully, we could witness the most bizarre rituals from any side of this planet earth. From here on, you will be teased with any rituals that will amaze you, and it is coming for more, probably even more than what you can take, so just sit back and enjoy this ride of the beginning ^_^
Famadihana is a funerary tradition of the Malagasy people in Madagascar. Known as the turning of the bones, people bring forth the bodies of their ancestors from the family crypts and rewrap them in fresh cloth, then dance with the corpses around the tomb to live music.
The Famadihana custom appears to be a custom of somewhat recent origin, perhaps only since the seventeenth century in its present form, although it may be an adaptation of premodern double funeral customs from Southeast Asia. The custom is based upon a belief that the spirits of the dead finally join the world of the ancestors after the body's complete decomposition and appropriate ceremonies, which may take many years. In Madagascar this became a regular ritual usually once every seven years, and the custom brings together extended families in celebrations of kinship.
The practice of Famadihana is on the decline due to the expense of silk shrouds and opposition from some Christian organizations. Evangelical Protestants discourage the custom, although the Catholic Church no longer objects because it regards Famadihana as purely cultural rather than religious. As one Malagasy man explained to the BBC, It's important because it's our way of respecting the dead. It is also a chance for the whole family, from across the country, to come together.
Check out this video:
The Famadihana is one of the most popular festivals in Madagascar. It
is a traditional festival and is celebrated in both urban and rural
areas of the country, though it is especially popular among the tribal
communities. The Famadihana is also held to give respect to the dead
through the transference of the bones to a permanent dwelling place. The
family of the razana saves funds all year to celebrate the festival.
The burial tomb is constructed with much care and it is considered to
act as the link between the dead and the living. The relatives of the
dead dress themselves well and go to the tomb to see the remains of the
deceased. Relatives, friends and other near and dear ones are invited to
the event. The event is organized to occur every 2 to 7 years.The festival also consists of animal sacrifices and various traditional forms of celebration. The meat of the slain animal is distributed among the relatives and the friends. There are traditional song and dance performances which are performed by the family members or from the favorites of the razana (the dead). The main motive behind the festival originated from the belief of the local people that the dead return to God and are again reborn. Dead people are highly respected in the local communities as they are considered to be directly related to God.
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