Sarcophagus, is a stone tomb consisting of a container and a cover that usually has a protrusion at the end. Waruga, is a stone tomb that is shaped like a house and is usually found in the Minahasa area
Waruga or old grave, is a relic of the megalithic era of the Minahasa people - North Sulawesi (Sulut) which developed in the early 13th century BC. ... The body is in the form of a cube and the lid is shaped like the roof of a house. The waruga functions as a burial place for corpses or people who have died.
Waruga or old grave, is a relic of the megalithic era of the Minahasa people - North Sulawesi (Sulut) which developed in the early 13th century BC. ... The body is in the form of a cube and the lid is shaped like the roof of a house. The waruga functions as a burial place for corpses or people who have died.
In short, Waruga is an ancient tomb of Minahasa residents made of two triangular stones. At first waruga was used as a place of burial and execution of death rituals.
But now Waruga is used as a tourist and cultural object. The word waruga comes from the word waru which means house and ruga which has a body.
Waruga is made of stone which is divided into top and bottom. The upper part forms a triangle that is more like a house and the lower part is shaped like a coffin.
The function of Waruga is as a burial place and the implementation of past rituals that still adhere to animism and dynamism. The ornaments on each Waruga have the meaning of exorcising evil spirits, symbols of prosperity or corpse work.
The body is placed in a sitting position, the heels on the feet against the buttocks, the head kisses the knees like a baby in the womb and the position is facing north.
In 1860 this custom was banned by the Dutch. Because in ancient times there was a bubonic plague, typhoid and cholera which were feared by seepage from the gap in the Waruga box to bring disease.
In order to protect and preserve the waruga, since 1976 an arrangement has been made, the result of which in 1978 has become a waruga location which was named Taman Waruga Sawangan.
In pre-historic times, the Minahasa people still believed that ancestral spirits had magical powers. For this reason, graves are specially made to be as beautiful as possible. Waruga consists of two parts, the body and the lid. The body is in the form of a cube and the lid is shaped like the roof of a house.
Uniquely, waruga is not made by relatives or family of the person who died but is made by the person who will die. When that person will die, he will automatically enter the waruga he made after being given a complete grave provision. One day when it is done fully it will bring good to the bereaved family.
Actually in North Sulawesi there are many Waruga sites, one of which is in Sawangan Village, Airmadidi District, North Minahasa Regency. There are 143 Waruga in this village which are divided into several sizes which are grouped into 3 groups.
The first group, Waruga is small with a height between 0-100 cm as many as 10 pieces. Second, there are 52 medium-sized Warugas with a height between 101-150 cm. Third, there are 81 large Warugas with a height between 151-250 cm.
Waruga itself comes from the Tombulu language, namely from the Wale Maruga syllable which means the house of the body that will dry up. Waruga also has another meaning, namely Wale Waru or the grave of Domato or a kind of wax soil
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