In Reply to: what words of condolence do you posted by inmyblood on Saturday, 15. July 2006 at 20:25 Bali Time:
When my best friend passed away of dengue fever aged 18 in May 1998, by chance none of my family were in Jakarta at the time.
At The time she died my parents had just got on a plane to brisbane for a holiday... and I had called her family that morning to check on her progress and all was fine... then they had been trying to call me all afternoon, but couldnt get thru cuz the phone was engaged i was on the internet.. Anyway about midnight that night her cousin called and said that she had passed away..
Then i was at the brisbane airport about 5am waiting for my parents plane to land, it was my birthday and mothers day as well (may 10th) and i had to tell them that she had passed away... it was really upsetting because our families are very close until this day, and they treat me as their own daughter as well.
Anyway, my father contacted a guy from his office, to go to the funeral and burial on our behalf and we just gave them money to cover the costs, of plot digging, body transportation and the "priest" who washes the body etc before burial, there was nothing else really we could do. Because they are muslim they have to be buried before sundown on the same day.
We also promised to pay for the headstone, however werent able to do this straight away, because one of their traditions is, no headstone is to be put on the grave until one of the siblings gets married.
We later found out that the headstone itself was going to cost about 3million rupiah, so we sent that over as well a few years later when her sister got married. But that price can depend on the materials and design used.
when her parents we ready, they donated her clothes etc to a local charity.
Anyway a balinese funeral is hugely different from a muslim one, so prices of things etc will vary..
but in the end I think they would probably most aprieciate money to help out with things.