The smoked corpses of Papua New Guinea - PHOTO+VIDEO

Their flesh is stained red, and they seem to be imprisoned within cages of bamboo, as if to keep them from leaping down and devouring any explorer who strays too close.But this macabre practise is not (only) a way to scare away strangers. For the Anga people in these remote parts of the country, it is the highest honour they can bestow on their dead.Dead men, women and children are effectively smoke cured, in much the same way as a kipper.First, experienced embalmers make cuts in the feet, knees and elbows of the cadavers, to allow body fat to drain away, before jabbing bamboo poles into their guts and collecting the drippings.These are smeared onto the skin and hair of surviving relatives in a ritual believed to transfer the strength of the dead into the living. Any leftovers are used as cooking oil, for the same reason.They then sew shut the eyes, mouth and anus of the body they're working on, to reduce the air intake in an attempt to prevent flesh from rotting. These watchers are believed to be the guardians of the village. The most-respected warriors are placed on special lookout points on the cliffs, watching out for invaders.The practise is frowned upon by the Catholic church and has been banned since 1975, when PNG gained its independence.But in remote parts, where even today few missionaries dare to tread, a few tribes still prefer to mummify their dead - perhaps to keep the priests away.(dailymail.co.uk)Bakudaily.az