Torajan funeral ceremony: gruesome and barbaric water buffalo sacrifice

[Philmar]

Gruesome aftermath of Torajan funeral ceremony and water buffalo sacrifice by Phil Marion, on Flickr

A component of the funeral ceremony is the slaughter of water buffalo. The more powerful the person who died, the more buffalo are slaughtered at the death feast. Buffalo carcasses, including their heads, are usually lined up on a field waiting for their owner, who is in the "sleeping stage". Torajans believe that the deceased will need the buffalo to make the journey and that they will be quicker to arrive at Puya if they have many buffalo. Slaughtering tens of water buffalo and hundred of pigs using a machete is the climax of the elaborate death feast, with dancing and music and young boys who catch spurting blood in long bamboo tubes. Some of the slaughtered animals are given by guests as "gifts" which are carefully noted because they will be considered debts of the deceased's family, .Animal sacrifices are made to ensure eternal life in the afterlife and to safeguard the descendants.

Because these documentary photos are more horrific than others in this section I'll post smaller versions. Just click on the photo to see larger more horrific size.


Smiles above sacrificed water buffalo head - Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Severted heads of sacrificed water buffalo at a Torajan funeral ceremony near Makale in Sulawesi, Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Aftermath of a funeral ceremonial water buffalo sacrifice - Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Gruesome aftermath of a water buffalo sacrifice at a Toraja funeral ceremony- Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


HERE IS A LINK TO A GALLERY OF EVEN MORE GRUESOME WATER BUFFALO SACRIFICE PHOTOS!!!:

Flickr - Photo Sharing

 

[Ysarex]

Do they eat the water buffalo?

Joe

 

[Gary A.]

Do they eat the water buffalo?

Joe

Most ceremonial rights similar this, in most cultures, won't waste the sacrifice ...

 

[Gary A.]

Nothing of the slaughter? How about the music and dancing?

 

[acparsons]

This looks like the scene from Apocalypse Now.

 

[runnah]

Your personal slant on this is skewing your photos. I'd not use such strong adjectives if you want an honest assessment.

 

[bribrius]

This looks like the scene from Apocalypse Now.

oddly enough that works for me.

 

[bribrius]

Gruesome aftermath of Torajan funeral ceremony and water buffalo sacrifice by Phil Marion, on Flickr

A component of the funeral ceremony is the slaughter of water buffalo. The more powerful the person who died, the more buffalo are slaughtered at the death feast. Buffalo carcasses, including their heads, are usually lined up on a field waiting for their owner, who is in the "sleeping stage". Torajans believe that the deceased will need the buffalo to make the journey and that they will be quicker to arrive at Puya if they have many buffalo. Slaughtering tens of water buffalo and hundred of pigs using a machete is the climax of the elaborate death feast, with dancing and music and young boys who catch spurting blood in long bamboo tubes. Some of the slaughtered animals are given by guests as "gifts" which are carefully noted because they will be considered debts of the deceased's family, .Animal sacrifices are made to ensure eternal life in the afterlife and to safeguard the descendants.

Because these documentary photos are more horrific than others in this section I'll post smaller versions. Just click on the photo to see larger more horrific size.


Smiles above sacrificed water buffalo head - Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Severted heads of sacrificed water buffalo at a Torajan funeral ceremony near Makale in Sulawesi, Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Aftermath of a funeral ceremonial water buffalo sacrifice - Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


Gruesome aftermath of a water buffalo sacrifice at a Toraja funeral ceremony- Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr


MORE TO FOLLOW IF YOU HAVE THE STOMACH FOR IT!!!

Really like the first one, feet sticking out the bottom and buffalo head beneath them. Also like the boy sitting on the railing with the blood on the ground beneath and the buffalo over to the side. I kind of get what runnah said far as labeling, i dont fine these particuliarly horric, just culture. we slaughter thousands of cows a day in the u.s. it really isn't that big a deal. It is the community aspect of this and funeral aspect that makes this intriguing. Loving your photos philmar.

 

[Ysarex]

Your personal slant on this is skewing your photos. I'd not use such strong adjectives if you want an honest assessment.

Agreed. I was also reacting to the language in the title. This appears to be much more civilized than what we do every day to serve a couple million Big Macs. If you're looking for barbarism visit a Texas/Oklahoma feedlot and slaughter house or come to my state and visit a hog farm. You can't bring a camera though -- they'll lock you up.

Joe

 

[snerd]

Your personal slant on this is skewing your photos. I'd not use such strong adjectives if you want an honest assessment.

Agreed. I was also reacting to the language in the title. This appears to be much more civilized than what we do every day to serve a couple million Big Macs. If you're looking for barbarism visit a Texas/Oklahoma feedlot and slaughter house or come to my state and visit a hog farm. You can't bring a camera though -- they'll lock you up.

Joe

Meat is made at the grocery store. All nice and shiny and clean and healthy and no mean slaughters of any animals. What in the world are you talking about?!

 

[Philmar]

Your personal slant on this is skewing your photos. I'd not use such strong adjectives if you want an honest assessment.

What the photos I've posted don't show is that the buffalo have their jugular and wind pipes severed and that they are then left to bleed to death slowly on their feet. They take about 5 painful minutes to die, struggling to get up several times. They try to get away from the humans but are tied up.
It isn't as quick as a bolt or bullet to the brain. They see each other sacrificed, and when they have their necks slit it is not a quick painless death. They stumble around gasping for air while bleeding profusely. It is not quick, it is not painless. It is not pretty. It IS barbaric.


Gruesome aftermath of a water buffalo sacrifice at a Toraja funeral ceremony- Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr

 

[Gary A.]

Your personal slant on this is skewing your photos. I'd not use such strong adjectives if you want an honest assessment.

What the photos I've posted don't show is that the buffalo have their jugular and wind pipes severed and that they are then left to bleed to death slowly on their feet. They take about 5 painful minutes to die, struggling to get up several times. They try to get away from the humans but are tied up.
It isn't as quick as a bolt or bullet to the brain. They see each other sacrificed, and when they have their necks slit it is not a quick painless death. They stumble around gasping for air while bleeding profusely.

Sad and tragic for these beasts that devote so much of their lives to their owners and the village.

 

[Philmar]

Do they eat the water buffalo?

Joe

Yes, they do.

Gruesome aftermath of a water buffalo sacrifice at a Toraja funeral ceremony- Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Indonesia by Phil Marion, on Flickr

 

[Philmar]

This appears to be much more civilized than what we do every day to serve a couple million Big Macs. If you're looking for barbarism visit a Texas/Oklahoma feedlot and slaughter house or come to my state and visit a hog farm. You can't bring a camera though -- they'll lock you up.

Joe

That is what I believed prior to witnessing the ceremony. I am aware that cameras are banned from slaughter houses, and have 2 friends who worked at a chicken slaughter house who are now both vegetarians. I imagine what goes on in our slaughterhouses is also barbaric and gruesome. Both events are gruesome and barbaric in my view. One of the reasons I can enjoy a good steak is because the horrors of the slaughter house are kept out of my consciousness.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Yes they eat it. You should see the the tradition of them taking out the deads out of the grave and give them new clothes, comb their hair, etc. Now that is INTERESTING!