Kelli Swazey
Cultural Anthropologist | Reimagining Human Connections
About
Kelli Swazey is a cultural anthropologist who challenges our assumptions about family, community, and what it means to be human. Through her research in Indonesia, she has illuminated how traditional societies maintain strong social bonds despite modernization.
Swazey's TED Talks have reached millions, offering fresh perspectives on the universality of human needs and the power of local customs to enrich globalized lives. Her keynotes inspire audiences to view cultural differences as opportunities for richer connections.
Talks1
Life that doesn't end with death
In Tana Toraja, weddings and births aren't the social gatherings that knit society together. In this part of Indonesia, big, raucous funerals are at the center of social life. Anthropologist Kelli Swazey takes a look at this culture, in which the bodies of dead relatives are cared for years after they have passed away -- because relationships with loved ones don't simply end when breathing does.
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