outside Madagascar, you have to
come to this celebration. And when
everyone is together they go to the
tomb and they take out the ances-
tors and they celebrate them – they
literally dance with them. So it’s a big
celebration, I think that’s an amaz-
ing thing, I’m very impressed by this.
It probably comes from Indonesia
and has been transported by migra-
tion to Madagascar many years ago.
This is kind of the same thing that is
happening in Tana Toraja. I can’t see
that there’s one place that deals better
with death than another place. The
common thing is that they are to-
gether in this, that they do it together.
We could learn a lot. Why do we have
to only spend two-and-a-half hours
on this? My grandparents died, and
afterwards there was a funeral and we
have never talked about it since then
- never. Two-and-a-half hours and
then that’s it.
Above and right: Lubuagang, Philippines.
Umbew Apucao is mourning the death of
his wife, Helene, who died at the age of- During the wake in the family’s home,
which lasts for three days, Umbew watch-
es over Helene. Photos: Klaus Bo.