Watched the film Marlina the Murderer in 4 Acts on catch up TV (SBS), what a pity I had not heard about the movie before, as It would have been absolutely gorgeous to watch on the big screen.
Although the movie was filmed in West Sumba, in eastern Indonesia, it clearly depicts a setting in Tana Toraja (Land of the Toraja) in in South Sumatra. Tell tale signs include:
-the ethnic Toraja people are largely christians (hence most actors use christian names) and
-the wrapped up body of Marlina's mother is sitting leaning up against a wall inside the house.
This shows a significant part part of Toraja custom, where the family (in this case just the daughter) needs to look after a relative's body until enough money has been saved up to afford the grand funeral, which is expected.
From Wikipedia: (Quote) There are three methods of burial: the coffin may be laid in a cave or in a carved stone grave, or hung on a cliff. It contains any possessions that the deceased will need in the afterlife. The wealthy are often buried in a stone grave carved out of a rocky cliff. The grave is usually expensive and takes a few months to complete. In some areas, a stone cave may be found that is large enough to accommodate a whole family. A wood-carved effigy, called Tau tau, is usually placed in the cave looking out over the land. The coffin of a baby or child may be hung from ropes on a cliff face or from a tree. This hanging grave usually lasts for years, until the ropes rot and the coffin falls to the ground.
In the ritual called Ma'Nene, that takes place each year in August, the bodies of the deceased are exhumed to be washed, groomed and dressed in new clothes. The mummies are then walked around the village. (Unquote)
No such funeral rituals exist in Sumba. The film provides a window into, dare I say it, ordinary life in rural Indonesia (ordinary, apart from the obvious (no spoiler here!)), I too have sat in buses with my feet resting on bound up live pigs in front of me, so I'm sure two horses on the bus would not be considered strange. Loved the movie, it brought back so many memories of my visits to, and stays in Indonesia. It was paced perfectly to provide a realistic insight into life in rural Indonesia.
From Wikipedia: (Quote) There are three methods of burial: the coffin may be laid in a cave or in a carved stone grave, or hung on a cliff. It contains any possessions that the deceased will need in the afterlife. The wealthy are often buried in a stone grave carved out of a rocky cliff. The grave is usually expensive and takes a few months to complete. In some areas, a stone cave may be found that is large enough to accommodate a whole family. A wood-carved effigy, called Tau tau, is usually placed in the cave looking out over the land. The coffin of a baby or child may be hung from ropes on a cliff face or from a tree. This hanging grave usually lasts for years, until the ropes rot and the coffin falls to the ground.
In the ritual called Ma'Nene, that takes place each year in August, the bodies of the deceased are exhumed to be washed, groomed and dressed in new clothes. The mummies are then walked around the village. (Unquote)
No such funeral rituals exist in Sumba. The film provides a window into, dare I say it, ordinary life in rural Indonesia (ordinary, apart from the obvious (no spoiler here!)), I too have sat in buses with my feet resting on bound up live pigs in front of me, so I'm sure two horses on the bus would not be considered strange. Loved the movie, it brought back so many memories of my visits to, and stays in Indonesia. It was paced perfectly to provide a realistic insight into life in rural Indonesia.