Similar to the way that many cultures arrange for their deceased loved ones to be placed near other family members in a cemetery, the deceased people of Sagada usually hang near their kin and ancestors as well.
So with that in mind, why do the locals of Sagada choose to lay their deceased loved ones to rest so high above the ground rather than six feet underground, as most other cultures throughout the rest of the world do?
burying / Wikimedia Commons
It may surprise some folks to learn that this unique burial ritual is actually rooted in a religious belief that’s not so unusual. Those with even a passing knowledge of the religions throughout the modern world would understand…
The practice of elevating coffins mostly stems from a rather common belief that has existed throughout many civilizations since ancient times. They associate the sky with a sense of spirituality, or in a more literal sense, heaven itself.
ModernMedicineLady / Pixabay
With a similar mindset remaining crucial to their culture, many people in Sagada have historically believed that, by placing their fallen loved ones on a literally higher plane, they would reach a greater spiritual place in the afterlife.
Magalhães / Wikimedia Commons