The hanging coffins tradition in Sagada

After Banaue, I reach Sagada, the city is smaller than Banaue and a little bit less welcoming. One day is enough to visit the major sites in town. You may hire a guide to watch the hanging coffins and walk into the valley. I didn’t, the walk was only one hour and I did it on my own. But if you want to visit the caves, you must have a guide with you and good shoes.

The hanging coffins of Sagada, in the mountain region of Ifugao is the most attractive attraction of Sagada.

But where does come this mysterious tradition of burying dead high up on the cliffs?

Sagada is not the only place in the world where this tradition was practiced, the Bo tribe in Andaman Island, and old mountains tribes in China used to burying their dead up on the cliffs.

The coffins are hanged on the cliffs or put at the entrance of the numerous caves in the cliffs.

On a material level, it seems that, they wanted to avoid any degradation by beast, mud (the Ifugao mountain province is rainy and humid half the year).

On a spiritual level, according to their way of life, and cultural beliefs, mountains were sacred. This tradition helps the soul of the dead to be guided and reach easily peace and heaven.

Today in Sagada, the oldest coffins are 200 years old. The oldest coffins are smaller than the recent ones. On some coffins, a chair is hanged with it on the cliffs.

But why?

According to the tradition, after the death, local people used to sit the death in front of the house for the last homage during three days. Then, they used to put them on the coffins in a foetal position. On a spiritual level, that symbolizes a return to the initial position.

Now it’s time to get back in Manila and this will close my experience in this wonderful country. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed sharing my trip with you.