The Story of the Fire Mummy: The Process That Begins Before Death

Mummy! It sounds like a huge pyramid, elaborate coffins in secret chambers inside, and corpses wrapped in cloth. Mummies therefore seem to be at the forefront of Egyptian civilization. But they were not the first—many before and after them preserved the dead in this process. The fire mummy is an example of that. This process of mummification by drying the body with smoke was practiced in our continent of Asia, in the Philippines.

Kabayan is a hilly region of Benguet province in the northern Philippines. The Ibaloi tribe lives here. They live scattered in small villages at the foot of Timbac mountain. A fire mummy can be found in this mountain cave. The ancestors of the Ibaloi used to mummify the dead in Timbak, Bangao, Tenogchol, Napai, Opdus, and other caves. That is why this mummy is also known as the Ibaloi mummy or Kabayan mummy.

When Did This Method Begin?

Analyzing the evidence available so far, scientists believe that it began in 1200 AD. However, according to many experts, mummification began at least a thousand years before that. While the beginning is disputed, the ending is not in doubt. In the 1500s, the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan colonized the Philippines. With the spread of Christianity, the local traditions and culture started to disappear. This practice of cremation was abolished in this stream.

The Process of Mummification

Not much is written about exactly how the Ibaloi mummified. However, good information is available from stories passed down from generation to generation. A lot has been learned using modern technology.

All the threads show that mummification started while the person was still alive. The deceased was given a salty drink to consume. Locals knew that saltwater dehydrates the body. They thought that drinking this drink before death would drain the body of water quickly. However, according to modern science, the contribution of this process behind the creation of mummies is negligible.

The main work started after the person died. All in all, it could have taken weeks to months. In the first step, the body was bathed with cold water. Then it was covered with a special type of blanket called kolebao (kolebao/pinagpagan). A kind of scarf called Sinalibubo was worn on the head. The deceased was placed in the chair of the dead, or sangachil. His body was tied with a blanket, and his head was straightened with a scarf.

The next step was to dry the corpse with smoke. For this, a small fire was lit, and a chair was placed above it. However, the dead person was never brought directly into contact with the fire. In the heat, all the water in the body was slowly expelled and stored in a bottle. When it was completely dry, the Ibaloi people would bring down the dead body from the chair.

Now comes the last step. The duduan ceremony was performed by relatives and elders of the society, leaving the shriveled body in the sunlight. The purpose was to remove the upper part of the skin. Tobacco was burned after applying a special medicine made from local leaves and roots. Arrangements were made so that this smoke entered through the nostrils of the deceased. The Ibaloi believed that this would dry up any remaining water in the body. Needless to say, scientists have said that this theory is also wrong.

The Final Resting Place

The job was done! Now the deceased was ready to take their last leave. The people of the society used to cover the mummy with several layers of cloth and place it in a wooden coffin much like a baby in the mother's stomach. It was carried to mountain caves to perform various rituals. The funeral was completed by leaving the body there.

Beliefs and Curses

The Ibaloi believe that fire mummies can never be taken out of the cave where they are kept, or their souls will suffer. If so, curses will descend, and various disasters will appear. However, they can be moved from one place to another within the cave.

Challenges of Preservation

The Ibaloi live in remote areas of the Philippines, and their burial caves are also in remote locations. It takes five hours to drive there. After that, climbing the stone stairs begins. These caves can be seen after about five hours. The government has fenced them for security. Even after all this, theft could not be prevented.

The most famous stolen mummy incident was in 1919. Researchers identified the mummy as Apo Annu. This man, with Bahari tattoos all over his body, died more than five hundred years ago. Apo Annu is probably one of the last mummies of the Ibaloi. From his tomb, it is known that he was a leader and a famous hunter. To the Ibaloi, he is half-god and half-man. After the theft of his mummy, they blamed all natural disasters on the curse.

Law enforcement rushed to recover the mummy. It was discovered that a Filipino priest removed Apo Annu from the burial cave, displaying him in a circus exhibition. After several exchanges, a collector bought the mummy. In 1984, it was sent to the National Museum of the Philippines. The authorities quickly contacted the Ibaloi leaders and sent Apo Annu back to his people. After performing various rituals, he was returned to the Samadhi cave. The government has since installed an iron gate there.

Several fire mummies were stolen around 2000. Later, various collectors in Europe bought them for huge sums. Eight mummies were returned in 2004. However, several fire mummies still remain with collectors.

Legacy of the Fire Mummies

The method of mummification using fire and smoke is not unique to the Ibaloi. It was also practiced among several tribes in Papua New Guinea. But the fire mummies of the Philippines are better known. In all, 50-80 such mummies have been found. However, the location of many has been kept secret to prevent theft.

The Ibaloi still remember their mummified ancestors with reverence, offering food and drink to them. In order to enter the Samadhi Caves for research, permission from their leaders is required. A local person is always present inside the cave, explaining to the mummy what is happening and why it is happening.