somewhere, smiling :)

am i tired,
inspired,
happy or sad?

with death all around me,
in a place that’s so glad.

what am i doing?
where should i go?
with a guide or alone?
am i missing the show?

the longer it’s been,
the slower i go,
taking my time,
learning to grow.

burials in Toraja,
vibrant and proud,
sacrificial by nature,
grand presentations
for the crowd.

the corpse,
dressed in fine linens,
changed,
every few months,
new clothes, a new casket,
sacrificed buffalo for lunch.

me, like the corpse,
me, like the Torajans,
must shed my old layers
and live in harmony with the land,
traditions and a way with nature,
that have never failed man.

for remaining the same,
is to be buried alive,
so i watch, and
i learn,
capturing,
practicing,
with a wide, open mind.

31.10.24
Rantepao, Toraja
Indonesia