utterly random picture thread.

[Taipan]

[Noggin]

I never did the stickers to make my car say "Kamiq-aze" (not sure the french say it the way it would have to be spelt!!)

[ZRX61]

Jag.JPG (81.22 KiB) Viewed 1668 times

[Yambo]

Yozza's new crimbo jumper...

It's tradition in our house to have a Christmas jumper.

Always seems to be my job to talk them down.

[Taipan]

A intricately carved Skull or a Kapal which was used in Buddhist Tantric rituals in Tibet. This was also used in Hindu Tantra.
In Tibet especially they were elaborate carving and sometimes studded with precious stones and metal.
Circa 1700

[gremlin]

Macabre, but fascinating.


Mind you, I am wondering if that was done after death...

[Taipan]

TRADITIONAL “KNUP” HATS of the Khasi people from Meghalaya, India
These large, unusually shaped hats made of bamboo and palm leaves are very practical, lightweight, and waterproof. They protect farmers from heavy rain and sun, allowing them to work in the fields with their hands free. The Khasi people make them using natural materials available in their surroundings.

[Taipan]

[David]

Is he coughing that up?

[Taipan]

[Taipan]

[Rockburner]

I'm not going to Google that to see if it's real.....

[MrLongbeard]

[gremlin]

I'm not going to Google that to see if it's real.....

750m?!

[Rockburner]

I'm not going to Google that to see if it's real.....

750m?!

Just an average Saturday night in the Oval Office innit.

[Skub]

750m?!

It feels like that much when you get the wet spot.

[Pirahna]

[Taipan]

Ma’Nene: The Living Ritual of Dressing the Dead in Toraja, Indonesia.
In the lush highlands of Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, the boundary between life and death is not a sharp line—it’s a sacred bridge that families cross again and again. And nowhere is that more evident than in Ma’Nene, one of the most fascinating and misunderstood rituals in the world.
Ma’Nene, often referred to as “The Ceremony of Cleaning Corpses,” is a centuries-old tradition where Torajan families exhume the bodies of their deceased loved ones, carefully clean their remains, and then dress them in fresh clothes.
It’s not a horror story. It’s an act of deep love, honor, and connection—a way for the living to maintain ties with their ancestors long after they’ve passed.
Why Do the Torajans Perform This Ritual?
In Torajan belief, death is not an ending—it’s a transition. The deceased are not gone, but rather, they continue to live in another realm, watching over their families.
Ma’Nene is performed to:
◦ Show respect and gratitude to ancestors
◦ Reconnect spiritually with loved ones
◦ Maintain harmony between the living and the dead
◦ Bless the future of the family through ancestral presence
For the Torajans, a body is not something to fear, but something sacred. Ma’Nene is not mourning—it’s a reunion.
The ritual is usually held once every few years, mostly during August or September, depending on the family’s schedule and financial readiness. The ceremony is common in Baruppu and Pangala districts in North Toraja.
It begins with prayers and offerings. Then, family members carefully open the tombs, gently lift the bodies, clean them, dress them, and sometimes walk them around the village for a symbolic “visit home.”
Ma’Nene is not about death—it’s about connection, memory, and legacy. In a world where we often fear or avoid discussions of mortality, Toraja offers a profound reminder:
"The dead never truly leave us. They live on—in memory, in ritual, and in love."
Source: Toraja Journey
Photos credited to: Tulak Somba

[Buckaroo]

If my kids did this for me, I'd expect top drawer trainers, pair of levis and a Ben Sherman shirt, else I'll haunt the buggers.

[gremlin]

If my kids did this for me, I'd expect top drawer trainers, pair of levis and a Ben Sherman shirt, else I'll haunt the buggers.

Mini skirt, boob tube and a pair of Crocs if you spend all their inheritance.