Skull Burial of Kiribati

SKULL BURIAL OF KIRIBATI

• On the tiny island of kiribati
• The deceased is laid in the house from 3-12 days depending on social rank
• Friends and family make a pudding from a local plant as an offering

SKULL BURIAL OF KIRIBATI

• Several months after the burial, the body is unearthed
• The skull is removed and oiled and polished and the remaining body is buried again
• The skull is offered tobacco and food
• Traditional islanders keep the skull on a shelf in their home
• They believe the native God Nakaa welcomes the dead person's spirit in the Northern end of the islands