At the End of the Rites of Passage

“Everyone goes through the rites of passage in their life. It begins at birth, followed by the coming of age, marriage, sickness, and become completed with death.”

Offerings for the deceased

It was only very recent when I heard of the passing of a noted, well-respected film maker in Malaysia. Her name is Yasmin Ahmad. My heart was saddened along with the family members and friends of the departed Yasmin Ahmad as I watched the news broadcast on TV. Death, though inevitable, often catches us by surprise; no matter how prepared we think we are. When a person dies and leave behind their physical body, we can’t help but wonder, what will happen next?

Carrying the deceased in a 'bade'

In Bali, death brings a different meaning. Life does not just end with death. The rituals of funeral rites and cremation play an utmost importance in the stages of life. The Balinese believe that the soul will be freed to begin a new journey when death comes. The soul will be reborn into a future generation. And so, life continues on…

When a Balinese dies, the cremation for the deceased is a joyous one. The whole village will come together to prepare for the cremation. The cremation ritual is a ceremony which purifies and frees the soul from its earthly house and help it set forth to be incarnated. The body will be bathed and prepared as the priest will come and pray and bless the deceased. Meals are also prepared and offered to the deceased as usual to keep the person’s memory alive.

The elaborately decorative base of the cremation tower

The cremation ritual is a costly one. Most often when a family does not have the finances to proceed with the cremation ritual, the body will be buried first until they have saved enough for the event. Sometimes, they will also choose to do a group cremation. The size and elaborateness of the cremation ceremony reflects the wealth of the deceased's family.

The most exciting part of the cremation ritual for a tourist to watch is the procession to the cremation ground. It resembles a community carnival, with marching gamelan bands and people in high spirits. If you have never seen nor understand the ways and culture of a Balinese funerals goings, you might not even guess that it’s actually a cremation march!

The sacred bull-shape sarcophagus

On the day of cremation, an elaborate cremation tower called ‘bade’ will be build. It is made with paper and soft wood. The remains of the deceased will be placed in it as the people will carry it to the cremation ground. Once there, the body/bones will then be placed in a bull-shaped sarcophagus. (Bulls are considered a sacred animal in the Balinese culture) After that, the burning of the tower and sarcophagus will act as a final cleansing. The ashes will be gathered and be cast into the sea in order for the soul to be released and go on to its next life.

The final cleansing for the spirit to be released

Though the cremation ritual is a tourist attraction itself, you will still be advised to cover up and dress appropriately if you want to be there to watch. I believe it will be an interesting and unforgettable experience to witness a Balinese funeral rites. Life is a cycle after all, isn’t it?