Journey of the Dead
Guardians of the Living and the Dead
It makes no sense to bury or burn those that die in the sea.
Instead, the Fiklow dead are sent on a year-long journey.
The body is wrapped in two layers of woven material, soaked in herbs and chemicals.
The outer layer is coarse, and the inner layer soft.
A paste is spread on the outside cloth, to combine with the chemicals, and harden into a shell.
A day later, the relatives and friends sing praises of the dead, as the shell is released into a swift current.
The shell protects … Read more