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Waruga: stone sarcophagus that were used by the Minahasan people to place their dead

David Goran

Waruga are a type of sarcophagus or above ground tomb traditionally used by the Minahasans of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

During the ancient time of Minahasa, the body of dead people would be put inside Waruga in a squatting position, originally wrapped in woka, a type of leaf.  The Minhasa believed that their ancestors came from the north so the bodies were put in a position facing north.

Waruga tomb of Minahasa ancestors Photo Credit
Waruga tomb of Minahasa ancestors Photo Credit

 

Bodies are put in a position facing north Photo Credit
Bodies are put in a position facing north Photo Credit

 

 

Preparation of the waruga  Photo Credit
Preparation of the waruga  Photo Credit

They are made of stone and consist or a ridged upper part and a box-shaped lower section. The top cover has the shape similar to a roof so the whole Waruga looks like a house, a tradition kept since 1600AD.

The graves vary, depending on the profession or social status of the person that has been buried. If the ornament is a human, that signifies that the deceased used to be a leader. If it is a cow, then the deceased was a hunter.

Building the waruga  Photo Credit
Building the waruga  Photo Credit

 

This is the final step – showing how the bodies were placed inside Photo Credit
This is the final step – showing how the bodies were placed inside Photo Credit

 

The final three steps together  Photo Credit
The final three steps together  Photo Credit

The Waruga was sometimes used to keep more than one dead body. Maximum capacity of Waruga is about 12 people, usually from the same family. There are about 370 Warugas (waruga-waruga) in Rap-Rap (15), Airmadidi Down (211) and Sawangan, North Sulawesi (144).

They are a tourist attraction, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 in the waruga archaeological park in Sawangan, around 40 Km from Manado city.

Sawangan waruga. Photo Credit
Sawangan waruga. Photo Credit

 

There are about 114 Waruga in the waruga archaeological park in Sawangan. Photo Credit
There are about 114 Waruga in the waruga archaeological park in Sawangan. Photo Credit

 

Waruga, Airmadidi, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo Credit1 Photo Credit2
Waruga, Airmadidi, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo Credit1 Photo Credit2

 

Waruga with carvings. Photo Credit
Waruga with carvings. Photo Credit

 

Most of the waruga have been looted for valuable contents. Photo Credit1 Photo Credit2
Most of the waruga have been looted for valuable contents. Photo Credit1 Photo Credit2

At the entrance of the site, there is a relief wall that tells a story about how to make Waruga and how to use it.

Read another story from us: The construction of the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame and grave site cost $2.2 million

The Dutch banned the use of waruga in the 19th century and the Minahasa started making coffins to bury the dead because they were afraid of the disease outbreak (typhoid and cholera).

David Goran

David Goran is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News