Simplifying Funeral Ceremonies in East Sumba
A funeral ceremony is a very sacred tradition for people in East Sumba area in East Nusa Tenggara province. A family will hold days of ceremonial activities, when a family member dies.
They spend tens to hundreds of millions rupiahs (USD $1 equals 11,500 rupiahs). The tradition does not only cause many people in East Sumba to fall into poverty, but also causes family members to inherit debt committed by their parents or grandparents. Consequently, many children in East Sumba did not receive the needed support for their growth and education.
Realizing the inappropriate practice, Wahana Visi Indonesia, partner of World Vision Indonesia, worked with the East Sumba Custom Forum to encourage local people to simplify the funeral ceremony.
On 22 November 2013, around 200 people from 10 villages in Tapundung Malahar sub-district agreed to declare and adopt the simplification of the funeral ceremony. Previously, four other villages in the neighboring sub-district had also agreed to do the same thing.
The people are very serious about this declaration.
There is a penalty for those who break the agreement. One of the penalties is losing rice assistance from the government, which many families in this area receive due to low income.
By simplifying funeral ceremonies, the hope is it will lead to a more open-minded community that will give greater priority to family welfare and children's education.
Captions:
- Signing the declaration of funeral ceremony simplification agreement.
- Local music accompanies the declaration of the funeral ceremony simplification.
- Participants of the declaration of the funeral ceremony simplification.
- Melkianus Etu Dondy, head of Tapundung Sub-district.
*written by Bartolomeus Marsudihardjo