Tourskomodo.com - 18 Jul 2008

When July rolls around, Tanah Toraja enters its brisk funeral season, with the dusty buffalo and pig markets of Bolu at full pace and extended families making the trek from all corners of the country. The primeval ceremony centers on the ritual slaughter of buffalo and pigs, with young girls dressed in their finest and most brilliant red clothes, beaded jewels draping off, hosting the endless lines of black-clad mourners bearing the condemned animals. This calliope of color is amplified by the cacophony of chanting and the dire squeals of the animals piercing the gaiety of guests enjoying the spectacle. Moreover, with foreigners viewed as privileged guests signaling an auspicious sendoff, the red carpet is laid out for those willing to make the journey all year round.

Funerals are the defining cultural offering of the Torajan people and the single biggest concern in the lives of each member. For a population often depending on a subsistent economy, the actual costs required to conduct a funeral are astounding, with tens of thousands of US dollars common and even a hundred thousand not unheard of. Grandchildren often find themselves off to major cities like Jakarta in search of work, hoping that their grandparents hold on until they can save enough.

In Torajan custom, it's said that when someone dies, they aren't actually "dead" until the first animal has been sacrificed. Instead, the corpse in preserved using a traditional embalming technique and kept in the home until the arrangements for the funeral can be made and the money gathered. With family spread across the country, this process may take several years. In fact, it's not unheard of for the "deceased" to spend even five embalmed years waiting for her special day.

Tradition holds that the more spent on a funeral, the better it is for the decease in the afterlife. As a result, there is often a competition to produce a funeral more elaborate and ostentatious than any other, with the number of animals sacrificed being the true determiner of eternal wellbeing. For the nobility, 24 buffalo are the minimum, while the poor may have to settle for one or two along with some pigs.

torajaThe ceremonies may last anywhere from one day to an entire week, with 5 days the typical length of time. The first day is generally reserved for the family with more solemn proceedings and possible a sacrifice. The second day, often considered the best day to visit for a tourist, is the reception day. On this day, long processions of visitors from neighboring villages arrive to make offerings of buffalo and pigs. The animals are taken away while the guests are treated to a reception of coffee and sweets by the elaborately dressed female members of the house. When they are finished, each group proceeds to a covered platform that has been designated as theirs for the ceremonies. A few buffalo may be brutally sacrificed in the center of the crowd to show appreciation.

Other events include a traditional dance involving a group of men in sarongs gathered in a circle chanting. There are also buffalo fights, whereby the animals are left in a rice paddy and provoked to attack each other. The one who runs away first is declared the loser and bets are rewarded. Animals continue to be slaughtered throughout the week, with those attending generally receiving a "goody bag" of various pig parts. Visitors continue to eat and drink while music plays at night. On the final day, the body is buried and family is allowed to return home while the village may begin preparing for their next funeral.

Tourists can expect to be hosted on a platform directly in front of the sacrifices. A family member will usually come over with offerings of coffee and sweets and may explain the proceedings. While a modest offering of food such as sugar would be appropriate, visitors may even consider presenting their own pig. A guide can assist in purchasing a pig in the market of Bolu. As for the sacrifices, be prepared to harden your stomach as the brutality can be quite difficult for some.

TorajaExploring the Nature of Tanah
TorajaTanah Toraja remains an area of clean air, mountain jungles and whitewater rivers running through hidden villages and kampungs famous for their gorgeous ship hull-shaped roofs and colorful hand-painted wood panels. Protected by its rough mountainous geography, the Torajans have historically remained fiercely independent and protective of tradition, even reinventing Christianity to integrate their own animist customs. As result, churches dot the towns but offer uniquely Torajan motifs, including painted bull's horns and wooden tiles.

Hiking allows you the unrivaled opportunity to taste the Torajan hospitality firsthand, with various treks heading for the hills and paddy fields to the south or up towards the peaks of the north. Along the way, you can expect to run across ancient megalithic structures and perfectly preserved rows of colorful traditional houses, while stumbling onto the unique hanging graves carved into the cliff faces. With just a bit of luck, you may even find yourself sipping delicious local coffee as the honored guest at a local funeral.

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