Toraja — Director’s cut
The true story behind Toraja’s unique and gore burial ceremonies
Getting to Rantepao:
I arrived at Makassar from Jakarta early morning and go straight to the bus station to catch the day bus. Because I planned my trip only the day before I miss essential things like socket adaptor and flip flops. So I start looking for some in the city. Failed.
If you need a sign of how the sun is going to burn your soft and preserved white skin during your trip, the 8am heat on your pink neck is a very good indicator. And at this moment, first day in Indonesia at 8am in Makassar, I knew sunscreen will not be enough.
Bus is comfortable, apparently landscape is amazing. I have no idea because I slept most of the time. I arrive in Rantepao, long story short I find a hotel, Pison hotel. A decent one if you just want to sleep.
At this point I have no idea what to do in Rantepao. I wanted to go straight from Jakarta to Palu and then Togian islands but tickets were too expensive. So here I am. I ll just rent a scooter and see. Next day, I found myself very lucky as Lina from Seek Sophie travel agency is going to a 2 days trip around the region. She kindly accepts me to join and we start with our guide Markus.
You said Toraja?
We start by visiting a market and there is a very interesting fact about those Torajan people. Basically, they live their life so they can have a very beautiful burial ceremony. And the value of the deceased is expressed by the amount of animal his relatives would be able to sacrifice during the funerals. Mostly they kill Buffaloes and pigs. Certain buffaloes (the black and white ones) have more value than others and costs tenth of millions rupees. They will be sacrificed just like the others though.
Once a week at this market, the best specimens of the buffalo race are exchanged in planning of the upcoming burial ceremonies. The Torajan attach so much importance to the buffaloes that they don t work in rice fields and are raised like pets and massaged and showered every day.
Burial ceremony:
Then the real thing: the burial ceremony. In order to pay for the celebrations, the body is sometimes kept for over a year in the family s house. And every day they serve him meals just like he was still part of the livings.
If you are a vegan, a PETA activist, or just a sensitive person, this ceremony might not be for you. As they slaughter the animals by cutting their throat and then cut the parts right on the ground in the middle of the “arena” so everyone can enjoy the show. I personally could not stand watching it. I saw it from a distance and that was way enough.
All the persons attending the funeral have to make offerings. It can be food, animal to sacrifice, money…. And every gift has to be recorded to a government official. Because yes, they pay tax on the gifts they offer in ceremonies. So you will have a couple of guys in uniforms, checking the animals and assessing their value to report it into a book that will be used to recover tax. A copy is also provided to the family so they know which gift belongs to which guest. When one of the guest dies, the family will make a gift of equivalent value.
This is all very organised and well planned. It contrasts a lot with the brutality of the slaughter. Torajan are Christians for centuries, but they kept large parts of their pagan rituals to have a very unique culture.
All of this could have never happen as I kept losing tracks of Markus and Lina on their scooter or just following the wrong person for kilometres. Hats down to them for their waiting.
Exploring the surroundings:
After this 9 in the morning delight, we ride the scooter around the area visiting traditional villages and having breath-taking views on rice fields valley. I know, rice fields in Asia are everywhere and they are beautiful everywhere. And you will always find a guy telling stuff like:” You haven t seen rice fields if you haven t been to Banaue or Yunan China.”. Well… screw that guy. Rice fields are rice fields and they are nice everywhere. No one goes on holidays to be amazed by centuries old agricultural techniques. Just make sure to go during the blossom season where the fields are actually green, in April — May and October.
The traditional villages are actually still traditional. It was a pleasure to see that the shape of the houses and the organisation of the villages are still respected even for new buildings. It gives a feeling of unity and reinforce the strong cultural presence in this unique province. The villages are organised with the houses (in the shape or buffalo horns) on one side and the food reserves on the other. Leaving only one big straight street in the middle where the daily life takes place.
The façades of the houses are really interesting. As they show the wealth of the family. In Toraja, wealth is expressed by how many buffaloes were killed at your funeral. So, to show their importance, family stack buffalo horns in front of their house and there is a competition to who will have the higher pile. It really shows how important those rituals are for Torajan.
The guide brings us to a homestay. To sleep in a replica of those buffalo horn houses.
Caves and tombs:
With such an importance given to death, the burial sites must be exceptional. Torajan found a way to show their wealth and status in the way they are buried. Because yes, you have some casts among Torajan. Some can be nobles, some can be peasants. In order to express this status, wealthy Torajan would be buried in holes dig directly in the mountains. The bigger the hole, the better. The height of recognition is to have his own statue carved at the entrance of the tomb. This is only possible for the nobles. A wealthy non-noble family can have a big hole in the mountain, but will never be allowed to have a statue.
Another nice attraction is the Londa cave. Another burial site where you will have to go inside a natural cave with a petrol lamp and making your way to the bottom of it slaloming between coffins and skulls. It’s nothing like Paris catacombs. Here, the site is still frequently used for burials. And you can come across a coffin just a week old. Statues of the nobles are guarding the entrance of the cave giving it a very unique look.
