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Mummies of the Dani Tribe, Wamena Earth's Exotic Magnet

Nadia Latief

Not only in Egypt, it turns out that Indonesia also has mummies that are interesting as a tourist destination. Read more here!

Photo by Asso Myron on Unsplash
 
Talking about mummies or mummification, this body preservation technique is usually synonymous with Egypt, which is said to have the best technology. Bodies that are hundreds of years old still look intact and some even look like ordinary people, you know.

The purpose of mummification itself is to honor the person who usually played a big role while still alive. Like a king or someone who has a big influence on his tribe or country. It turns out that in Wamena, Papua, there is a mummy from the Dani tribe which is a tourist attraction. The exoticism and mystery stored inside mummies invite many people to become curious.
 

Photo by Heru Haryanto on Unsplash
 
There is not just one, but there are seven mummies spread across Wamena with ages ranging from 2-3 centuries. The mummy's age can be seen from the necklace around the neck. Every five years, there is a ceremony to honor the mummy by placing a necklace around her neck.

Mummies in Wamena are spread across various districts. Three mummies in the Kurulu District, three mummies in the Assologaima District, and one female mummy in the Kurima District. Female mummies may not be shown because local people believe that showing a female mummy can bring disaster to the tribe.

The mummies in Wamena are not ordinary people's mummies. Rather, it is the tribal chiefs and warlords who become role models for tribal members during their lifetime. While he was still alive, they ordered him to preserve his body after he died. The way this mummy was previously preserved was traditional. Namely smoked for 200 days. The body continued to be smoked covered in pork fat.
 

Photo by Asso Myron on Unsplash 
 
Seeing mummies in Wamena is not free, you know. The new mummy will be removed from the honai, the traditional house of the Dani tribe, after a price agreement is reached. It doesn't stop there, if you want to photograph the mummy there is an additional price which according to various information can reach millions of rupiah.

So, you have to be smart in negotiating with the mummy care community until you reach a mutual agreement. This mummy is also a source of income for tribal members. It's not surprising that there are other offers so that visitors want to pay more to increase their income.

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