The Amazing Facts of Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest island state in southern Asia, washed by the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is a place of ancient history, unusual traditions and interesting people. Now is the time to learn some little-known facts about this country.
1. Relatives of the deceased sometimes need a lifetime to raise money for funerals.
On the island of Sulawesi lives the Toraji tribe, who honor and necessarily fulfill their ancient customs and rituals. Such rituals include funerals. Funeral isn't cheap. In order to bury a person, you must sacrifice a buffalo, and this is a very expensive animal. The higher the caste in which you were born, the more buffalo you need to sacrifice. Some families spend months, years, or even a lifetime collecting money with the whole family, denying themselves everything.
The body is not allowed to be buried and is in the house all the time. In order that it does not deteriorate, he is embalmed and the deceased is considered not dead, but as if very sick. It is combed, dressed, painted, carried out on various holidays.
Once an animal has been purchased, a funeral can be performed. Interestingly, the dead are not given to the ground, but are placed in caves or hung on a tree. Babies, for example, who have not yet teethed, are wrapped in cloth and placed in tree trunks.
2. The New Year on Bali is celebrated in complete silence.
Balinese celebrate the new year for three days. On the first day there is a parade called Wow. For this parade, large puppets of human growth are prepared in the form of demons and monsters, symbolizing human vices, as well as preparing gifts for offering to the gods. At the end of the parade, demons are burned to cleanse the island of all evil. The second day of the New Year is called Niepi.
On this day it is customary to sit at home, fast, meditate and not go out. Even tourists are advised to stay in hotels and not talk loudly. On the New Year there are no cafes and restaurants, offices and shops, the airport does not accept or send planes. The island is immersed in peace and quiet from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m. the next day. The third day of the new year is celebrated in a warm family circle. Balinese on this day visit temples, go to visit. This day is also considered non-working.
3. The left hand is considered unclean.
On the island of Bali, it is customary to eat only with the right hand, transfer things and any objects only with the right hand. The left hand of Indonesians is considered unclean. No Balinese will greet another with his unclean left hand.
4. The largest statue of Christ in Asia is in Indonesia.
In Indonesia, the city of Manado has one of the largest statues of Christ in the world. It is made of 35 tons of steel and 25 tons of metal fiber. The height of the statue is about 30 meters and it is only 9 meters lower than the tallest statue in Rio de Janeiro. A feature of the statue in Manado is that it is set at an angle of 20 degrees, slightly leaning forward.
5. The most infernal work is on the island of Java.
There are about 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, 150 of them active.
On the island of Java is one of the dangerous volcanoes - Kava Ijen. It is a place of work for many Indonesians. Early in the morning, the men take their baskets and descend to the crater of the volcano for sulfur mining. Sulfur is mined on the shore of a lake located in the crater of a volcano filled with a mixture of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. It is dangerous to be in this place, since the vapors released are poisonous and can burn the lungs. It is necessary to cover the respiratory tract with a mask.
But Indonesians working here simply do not have the means to acquire such luxury, they cover their mouths and noses with a headscarf or work without anything at all. The money they get for this hard work is paltry. After collecting sulfur, it is carried on its shoulders to the reception point and again returned to the vent of the volcano. Many collectors on the shoulders and back formed calluses from the weight they have to wear daily. It is not surprising that the average life expectancy of workers in these places does not exceed 30 years.
The customs of this country are sometimes so unusual and amazing that in the bustle of our gray everyday life seem some kind of magic. Therefore, it is necessary to see all this with your own eyes, feel it on yourself and, undoubtedly, many things unknown will be revealed.
Text by Alina Aladova
Photo: venividi.ru., secrets-world.com., jazztour.ru., m.pikabu.ru., nenovostifakty.ru.