Indonesia have many place to discover, especially the eastern part. Many tourist destinations which you can find, but this time we will discuss about jayawijaya. there are eternal snow at its peak and the seven mummies story that are part of the exotic magnet of the Baliem Valley.
These mummies are not the bodies of ordinary people of the Dani tribe, the majority tribe in Wamena or Jayawijaya Regency and beyond. They were respected heads of tribes and warlords who became role models in his time. Before they died, whether they were killed or because they were old, they told people of tribe to have their bodies preserved.
Preservation of mummies are done traditionally and able to survive for hundreds of years. The seven mummies in Wamena are estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old. As per the information of the mummy keeper, in his time, the mummies were preserved by smoked method for 200 days. The body is smoked constantly while it is covered with lard.
One of the mummies in Yiwika village.
In this village there is one mummy. The mummy stored in this village is the body of Wim Motok Mabel. Mabel is the head of a tribe as well as a warlord. He led the war until he was very old. Before he died, Mabel requested his family and tribe to mummified his body.
Mabel's reason for his body to be mummified is to ensure fortune in the war and win the battle. Aside from that, his importan reason is if his body is taken care of well, his family and tribe will have prosperous of life. Moto Mabel's mummy is still intact in certain parts. From the picture above, Mabel died sitting in the arms of his knees. His mouth was open, whether it was holding back pain or shouting something.
Honai Motok Mabel along with dozens of descendants honai, is currently the seventh generation. According to a guard's information, Motok Mabel's mummy is over 270 years old. The indicator is calculated from the necklace around his neck, where every five years a ceremony is performed by placing a necklace to the mummy's neck.
Mamah Motok Mabel is placed in a crate in his honai, and always smoked in near fireplace. According to the community beliefs, his mummy cannot be touched by woman because it wil cause corrosion. Wim Motok Mabel has proven the message. His will for his body to be mummified to give the fortune of life to the future, is proven in the span of two or three hundred years later.