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WARNING: This film contains scenes of animal sacrifice and images of deceased people.
Torajan People of South Sulawesi, Indonesia are deeply rooted in a culture where death is not seen as an end but as extension of life itself. This ethnographic film explores the unique approached to death among adherents of Aluk to Dolo belief system who have recently converted to Christianity. It contrasts the funerary practices of two families – one middle class and one upper class – both deeply devoted to honouring the deceased fathers. While the upper-class family held an elaborate funeral with sacrificing 170 buffaloes, the middle-class family struggles to gather enough buffaloes for their ceremony.
But does this disparity reflect differences in cultural practice, or does it raise the question of whether material wealth equates to love for a father?
One more cup of coffee for ambe’ examines these questions within a rich cultural context that values tradition, sacrifice and social status. Ultimately, it invites us to reflect on a deeper question, how do we perceive death in our lives?
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