There is one tribe where you do not get to say “rest in peace” to the one that has passed.
In the island of Mindoro, south-west of Luzon, in the Philippines, a tribe known as the Hanunuo Mangyans observes the practice of “kutkot”, a ritual where they dig up the remains of a loved one a year after his or her death and dress it up in clothes.
The remains are made to look more “human” by bundling it up in cloth to form a mannequin-like figure called a “Sinakot.” The cloth must be tied taut with a string and bulked in certain areas to create a human shape, much like a mummy.
The “sinakot” would then be carried back to the village, where it is subjected to the sound of gongs and a traditional dance.
Afterwards, it would be kept by the family inside their home for a year and then be transferred to a cave containing other “sinakot.”
The Hanunuo Mangyans practice this ritual as a way to honour their dead.
Culled / Titilayo Kupoliyi
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