Until the funeral ceremony, which can be held years after a person's physical death, the deceased is referred to as "to makala," a sick person, or "to mama," a person who is asleep, and they continue to be a member of the household.
Hingga upacara pemakaman yang mungkin dilakukan bertahun-tahun setelah kematian seseorang, orang yang meninggal itu disebut  "to makala," orang sakit, atau "to mama," orang yang sedang tertidur dan mereka terus menjadi anggota keluarga.