‘Strange culture’: Meet the ‘walking dead’ of the Toraja

We’ve seen zombies in Hollywood movies and only imagine what they could be or look like in real life: that is if the dead could really walk and talk as Hollywood portrays in the movies.

All over the world, different cultures have various rituals through which they take their dead. Egyptians are known for their centuries-old cherished culture of mummifying their dead to preserve them in the afterworld.


 Mummification is too common a thing that many people know about throughout the world. But I bet few know about the ‘walking dead’ traditions of the Toraja of Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province.



Every three years, the Toraja exhume their dead, dress them up and parade them on the streets. It’s an age-old ritual which has persisted for decades. This tradition, which would most likely be viewed with sepulchral macabre and foulness by outsiders, is perfectly normal to the Toraja. They virtually live with zombies.

The tradition is borne out of the respect and reverence the Toraja have for their dead, and their belief that even in death, their loved ones still linger on.

 Source Starrfm