The cemetery is not surprising given we're visting a unique burial place that said to have existed 2,000 years ago.
The hanging coffins are privilege rather than a right. To the dead person and his family, acquiring a spot on the side of the cliff means you're a good person. Also, you must be a full blooded Igorot (an ethnic group living in the mountains of Luzon) in order to be eligible in time of death.
The chairs are used to sit the dead for 24-hours beside their coffin and before they are laid to rest. The tale of such ritual begins at home when the dead is carried to awaiting hanging coffin. People who carry the corpse (wrapped in cloth) are considered fortunate. The bodily fluids of the dead is believed to bring good luck to anyone who's able to catch it.
The names written in the coffins are said to be the dead person's Igorot name. Apparently, Igorot's have their own unique and aboriginal names. These are subsequently changed after they are baptized to Christianity. Nevertheless, their death will bring back their original birth names.
Are you wondering about the smaller coffins? No, they're not babies. In fact, they're old people whom at their death were buried in a fetal a shape. They believe in returning to heaven the same way they were born here on earth.
So why do they hang the coffins? There's one particular reason why they do and it has nothing to do with setting a trend or being unique. According to the tribe's beliefs, they hang the coffins in order to be near to heaven. The higher the coffin is, the nearer it is to heaven and life after death.
The last practice of the hanging coffins was in 2008 when they buried Estefania Mayocyoc (brown coffin under SUMBAD's). Prior to that is Bomit-Og's burial in 2005 and Sumbad's in 2007.
Our guide left us with one trivia and I will leave it to you to explore. There are 18 coffins hanging on the side of the cliff, but he insists there are 19. Find out where the 19th coffin is and let us know ;)
