Indonesian Death & Funeral Practices

The world’s largest island nation, Indonesia is centrally located amid ancient trade routes between the Far East, South Asia and the Middle East. Comprising over 17,500 islands divided roughly into 7 major island groups, the country is infinitely diverse and retains the influences of many different religions and cultures, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam, as well as indigenous folklore and mythical beliefs. As of 2020, about 90% of the country identifies as Muslim, so most of the nation’s people follow Islamic traditions around death and dying. This is not true, however, on the island of Bali, where Hinduism is the dominant religion, or in some pockets of indigenous people who live in the country’s outer provinces, where ancient traditions still reign. 

Read more about the death practices of Indonesians below. 

• On The Indonesian Island Of Borneo, Mourning Garments Have Been Crafted From Bark Cloth For Centuries
• In the Indonesian Province of Tana Toraja, Loved Ones Stay With the Family Long After Death
• The Hindus of Bali Practice Both Burial and Cremation of the Dead