Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2014 | Page 130

128

Travel | Tana Toraja

Torajan Graves
Aside from the challenging work of
building tongkonan, the Torajan also build
marvellous tombs for the deceased. For adults,
they carve graves in unthinkable places such
as the sides of rocky cliffs or gigantic stones
where they will lay or hang the bodies of the
deceased. On each grave they put a tau-tau,
a puppet representing the deceased. This
tradition started because Torajan people are
usually buried with their wealth. The graves were
moved into the cliffs to deter would-be thieves.
Selain membangun rumah Tongkonan,
masyarakat Toraja juga membuat kuburan.
Untuk mayat dewasa, kuburan dibuat di
tempat-tempat tak biasa seperti di sisi tebing
atau di batu besar di mana mereka akan
menaruh atau menggantung mayat. Di tiap
kuburan mereka meletakkan Tau-tau, boneka
yang mirip si mayat. Tradisi ini muncul karena
orang Toraja biasanya dikubur bersama harta
mereka. Kuburan dipindahkan ke tebing untuk
mencegah pencuri.

that is Tana Toraja. Vast rice terraces
tumble down mountainsides, reflecting
the light as if a giant mirror has shattered
over the landscape.
Low clouds envelop the valleys like an ardent
lover, highlighting the curved and painted
outlines of the Toraja architecture.
The unique tongkonan houses, and their
replica rice barns, stand on seven elephantlike leg pilings and support the roofs that
soar to a high taper at either end. The walls
and eaves are richly decorated with black
and red symbols enhancing the exotic design.
With their narrow base coupled with the
expanding gables and roofs, these dwellings
are a potent symbol of the Torajaland
culture. It is believed that the arc-like
design resembles the first settlers who
descended in spacecraft from the stars!
Funerals play a huge part in the culture
of the Torajans and, if possible, a visit here
would not be complete without attending
one of these elaborate and colourful
ceremonies. The costs of saying farewell to
the departed here are exorbitantly expensive,
with the number of sacrificed buffalo
a public indication as to the exalted status
of the departed and those left behind.

A striking example of the Torajan burial
sites that dot the honeycombed cliffs that
are a feature of the region.
A stunning gallery of over 30 perfectly
preserved tau-taus that watch over the
burial site.
A close-up of some of the rows of
tau-taus that are either arranged in
galleries or situated inside the actual tombs.
Many of the burial sites are up to 30m
above the valley floor and accessible
only by ladder.

The spotted buffalo with their pink hue can
cost several thousand dollars each. Highcaste families who offer up to a hundred
buffalo for slaughter are often left
impoverished by the exercise. As a
consequence, many families save for
years, carefully embalming and storing
the departed family member within the
house until enough funds have been
acquired to stage a befitting send-off.
To the south, the mountains are
honeycombed with caves that are used
as the final repository of the departed, while
in the north gi