Unique Cemetery: The Sagada Hanging Coffins in Mountain Province, Philippines
The Hanging Coffins of Sagada are definitely one of the crucial popular tourist spots in Mountain Province. Visiting this old-world burial site only involves a brief hike but what makes it more interesting is that you’re going to must pass by an American-influenced cemetery on a hilltop called Echo Valley.
Trekking to the hilltop was a cold and straightforward journey, but seeing a Globe Telecom Cell Site right in the back of the Calvary replica was slightly disappointing. After just a brief walk all the way down to the Echo Valley, our disappointment was eased after seeing the magnificent view of Sagada’s rocky village and the jaw-dropping view of the Hanging Coffins.
Sagada Modern Cemetery
The trail was not paved, and the soil was naturally sticky and slippery, so everyone decided to not proceed the trek all the way down to Hanging Coffin’s nearest viewpoint. As a substitute, everyone enjoyed shouting and cam-whoring from the perspective of the valley. The place was not called Echo Valley for nothing; it’s one in every of the few places on this world where shouting is allowed and apparently…. enjoyed.
I couldn’t get an honest photo of the hanging coffins, but seeing them from afar was a very different experience.
Sagada Death Rituals
Hanging coffins are coffins placed on Mountain cliffs as a part of the Igorot indigenous culture and burial tradition of the Sagada People. It will not be unique to the Philippines since these old tradition can be being done in some parts of Indonesia and China, but this doesn’t mean we don’t have a culture of our own.
Coffins are product of hollowed-out logs commonly carved by the elderly Igorots before they die; each cadaver was smoked throughout the 5-day pre-burial feast to avoid fast decomposition. Hanging the coffins on high elevated cliffs is traditional for burying a professional individual. The indigenous death ritual also involves pushing the bodies into the tight spaces of the coffin to suit into the coffin space constructed from Pine tree logs.
This ancient practice in Sagada was already greater than 2,000-year-old tradition. Even though it was not a standard practice for locals of Sagada, the most recent addition to the hanging coffins of Sagada was placed there last June 2008.
The Igorot ancestors in Sagada believed that the upper your body is laid – the close they’re to ‘heaven.’ Another excuse was to guard the bodies from natural disasters like earthquakes and floods and keep the corpses away from wild animals.
How they settled the coffins in these high elevated cliffs was still a mystery for me; on this world of never-ending discovery and recent technology, the old way of doing every little thing seems more appealing to me. The traditional way of burying the dead in Sagada has been slowly disappearing, but their descendants proceed other traditions, and I feel the Igorot hospitality is a component of it.
My Sagada experience was greater than only a road trip and gastronomic adventure; it was also a brief cultural immersion and a incredible option to commune with nature. Greater than its mystique charm, Sagada’s best attraction just isn’t the cold weather but its friendly people. Just like the Ivatans of Batanes, Igorots of Mountain Province are one the friendliest people I’ve met during my travels.
Tips on how to Get To Sagada From Manila
Direct routes from Manila to Sagada are actually available through the services of Coda Lines Corporation. The corporate offers a day by day trip from the Cubao terminal to Sagada. The day by day departure schedule is at 8 within the evening and an estimated travel time of 12 hours. Fares start at Php 760. Contact Mobile 0927 559 2197/ 0929 521 3229 for inquiries.
Also Read: Travel Guide: Tips on how to Get to Sagada from Metro Manila
Take a look at our complete list of advisable Hotels in Sagada via Agoda, or you might also see available Airbnb properties in the realm.
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