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“Safe and Lucky that I was born in the land of Tana Toraja, island of Sulawesi” – These are the words that signify the spirit of the people and the land of Tana Toraja. Nestled among the lush green mountains of South Sulawesi in Indonesia, the culture and natural beauty of Tana Toraja is something that almost every Indonesian is proud of. The island of Sulawesi itself is not that popular among tourists, mostly because there are hardly any places where you would find the cliched and pretentious booze-fueled parties. This is probably one of the reasons why the simplistic charm of its stunning landscapes have been untouched and the cultures remain upheld. When me and my friend Polly decided to take a weekend off from our volunteering duties in Palopo city and head off to Tana Toraja, we were obviously quite excited. After being asked the same question “Did you go to Tana Toraja” countless times by our Indonesian friends, we were looking forward to heading there, experience the place for ourselves and be among the Torajan people.

About Toraja People and Culture
The Toraja are an ethnic group of people indigenous to the region of South Sulawesi in Indonesia. These are the people whose virtues of tenacity and deep familial bonding you will hear about when you are in Sulawesi. As an indigenous group, their culture, traditions and especially their views on life and death is an intriguing affair for curious outsiders like me. The Toraja people work with immense dedication all their life to accumulate generous amounts of wealth although not for their personal comfort but to facilitate for an elaborate funeral ceremony for their deceased ancestors and family members. The views and approach of Torajans towards death is where things make a shift towards an alternate reality. A major part of the cultural beliefs of Torajans is centered around death. “Death is not the end for us”, says Silas, one of my friends from Tana Toraja. For the Toraja people, death is just another stage a human has to go through during his/her journey.

Unlike common practices in most cultures, the connection of the family members with the deceased body does not end immediately with death. The deceased body has to be given a proper transitional revelry and till that time the body is considered an integral (and living) part of the family. The family members take care of the deceased, like they would do when somebody falls sick, providing meals four times a day and even “talking” to the corpse. The body of the deceased stays in the house with the rest of the family or under one of the traditional Tongkonan houses until enough money can be arranged to organize an elaborate funeral ceremony. Here, a funeral ceremony becomes a festive funeral celebration instead. A funeral is the biggest occasion in the life of a Torajan. Yes, it is a more important one than birth or a wedding. The event itself is organized with such pomp that the extravagant weddings across the world would pale in comparison when it comes to the scale and money involved in some of these funerals. The unconventional modes of celebrations involves group of family and friends carrying the corpse of the deceased and dancing together. Pigs and more prominently buffaloes that are presented to the deceased family as gifts, are slaughtered as a part of the celebrations. As an outsider, if you can look past these gory festivities you might be able to apprehend the significance of this event to the Torajans. This is not just a funeral but a happy occasion when all the relatives within the family come together for days of fun and celebration. Death here is mourned but the connection with the spirit and the body of the deceased is celebrated in various ways.


Veering Across the Highlands in Tana Toraja

With very little information on the internet about this place, it does get a bit challenging to make a proper plan about the attractions and activities here. Our many Indonesian friends from Palopo city provided us all the inputs we needed. The constant phrase we heard was “It is very beautiful there” but little did we know that it would be actually a case of “You need to see it to believe it”. As we were riding our scooters through the villages, countryside and across the mountains, we were in awe of the stunning sceneries and felt really thankful that the natural beauty of Sulawesi has remained pure to a large extent. Although we could manage to explore just four places in the two days, each of these places were beautiful in their own ways.

Lolai Highlands

Lolai
Lolai

A place in the clouds” – that is what locals refer to Lolai as. Located in the northern highlands of Tana Toraja, this village is located along and on top of the mountains. To say that the views from up there are stunning, would be a gross understatement. On a normal morning, stand at one of the many viewpoints and you would be treated to a vast sea of white clouds beneath you. Probably one of the most visited places in Tana Toraja, Lolai is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have been to during those two days. A two hour bike/scooter ride from Rantepao town will take you to Lolai although the path could be treacherous up there in the mountains especially during heavy rain. The ride though is worth every thrill and scare you might get on the way. Camp overnight there and sit under one of the many Tongkonan houses while you enjoy the early morning views of the mountains covered in thick white clouds.

Ke’te Kesu

Ke'te Kesu
Ke’te Kesu

The village of Ke’te Kesu is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over 400 years old, this village houses some of the earliest Tongkonans that were built in Tana Toraja. Ke’te Kesu is considered to be the center of Torajan culture especially the funeral celebrations. With just a mere 20 families residing here, this village has two rows of eight distinctly beautiful Tongkonan houses facing each other with the vast expanse of rice fields in their backyard. A few meters away towards the interior of the village stands the ancient burial site – Bukit Buntu hill which is more than 700 years old. Scattered human skulls and bones are lined up along the rocky stairs that lead to the cave burial site at the top of the hill. It is only when you step inside the cave that you get that eerie vibe around you as the temperature drops sharply in pitch black darkness. However, the beauty of this charming little village and the fact that it is a significant part of the heritage of Toraja people, overshadows any uncomfortable eeriness of those graves.

Lemo

Cliff Graves at Lemo
Cliff Graves at Lemo

Yet another small village mostly known for its rock-cut graves along the steep walls of the cliffs, Lemo is simplistic in its own way. Surrounded by lush green rice fields this village is one of the most popular among visitors to Tana Toraja. An interesting feature of the cliff graves is the presence of Tau Tau which are medium sized wooden statues that line along the the cliff walls. These statues are believed to be symbolic of the ancestors who have been guarding the graves for centuries. The graves are made out of carvings that protrude inwards into the mountain cliffs and house the remains of the deceased. Lemo is located to the south of Rantepao town approximately 30 minutes of drive with easy roads.

Buntu Burake

Tana Toraja
Jesus Statue at Buntu Burake

World’s tallest Jesus statue on land is perched at the very top of Buntu Burake hill. This is a place that has opened quite recently but has gained a lot of popularity among locals and tourists alike. While the statue itself is a wonderful piece of art and architecture, it is the marvelous 360 degree views of almost the entire Tana Toraja that makes this place worth a visit. Early mornings and evenings would be well spent with the amazing sunrise and sunsets to be witnessed. Located about 30 minutes drive from Makale town, the roads are still being laid out so do expect a few bursts of rough ride.

Tongkonan Houses

Traditional Tongkonan Houses
Traditional Tongkonan Houses

These are the traditional houses that are pretty much symbolic to Torajan culture and heritage. The architecture is quite unique with the roofs being in the shape of the stern of a ship. The construction of a Tongkonan house takes a lot of time and effort which is quite evident from the intricate details of the carvings and various designs on the walls. In traditional Torajan culture, the Tongkonan houses signify dedication to the influential members of a family or even the society. Some of the most unconventional pieces of architecture, these houses can sometimes be seen as graves and synagogues all over Tana Toraja.

Not often do we get to come across a culture that is so vividly distinctive and different from the usual. Even through the existence of diversity in civilizations and cultures all over the world, the heritage of Toraja stands out on its own due to its vastly unique aspects. The views on life and death here had so much impact that as somebody who is not a part of this community, I felt really intrigued. Rarely do we get to see people from a certain community so proud of their heritage and land that they dedicate their entire life to uphold those values. Tana Toraja is beautiful, interesting and provides a different dimension to the already diverse country of Indonesia.

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49 comments

  1. The village is stunningly beautiful and tells deep stories of the past. We are so lucky that we can still visit it.

  2. It is so lovely to come across a post about Sulawesi. Not many people end up going. Including me. I am headed to Indonesia in September, but the farthest I will be going is Komodo. A place in the clouds indeed! Tana Toraja looks like such a undiscovered beautiful island. Love the Tongkonan Houses! The architecture is so distinct.

  3. As I always says I need months together to explore Indonesia and Philippines! The natural beauty of this region is just too gorgeous! Tana Toraja isn’t an exception – its stunning! The way they deal with death is just so endearing!! I love those traditional houses!

  4. I had no idea about the ethnic group, Toraja, until you threw light upon it. I have been to Jogja so far, but plan to cover more parts of Indonesia soon. I am particularly interested in Lolai Highlands and Lemo. Cheers!!

  5. This looks awesome! Glad someone shared a different side of Indonesia..you always just get to see the tourist magnets. Should have included some nice detail shots of the roofs – they look beyond incredible

  6. Wow, Indonesia is part of my bucket list. I would love to visit there and glad I came over this post. Will save this for my reference.

  7. I would be so happy to visit this neighbour country, and enjoy the nature has to offer. And also help promote their local tourism 🙂

  8. All of these pictures make Indonesia look amazing. I think the statue of Jesus looks cool. I also love all of the houses here. The architecture looks so unique.

  9. What a great review! I would love to visit Tana Toraja. I am very interested in seeing the funeral ceremony to see how the dead are celebrated. It’s all very fascinating.

  10. Another great place on this planet I need to visit some day! Thanks for sharing this interesting post!

  11. Great post. I had not heard of Tana Toraja. How far away from Bali is it and how well connected ? I loved the cliff graves and the Tongkonan houses 🙂

  12. Never been to Indonesia but it’s top on my bucket list for visiting countries in the South-East Asia! I didn’t know that the world’s tallest Christ statue is at the top of the Buntu Burake hill. Also, the architecture of the Tongkonan Houses are quite fascinating! Are they made up of woods?

  13. I have never heard of this part of indonesia. The traditional houses look so detailed wow. You just have to appreciate Indonesian culture. And the cliff graves are also cool. I saw something similar when i went to Barcelona. Nice pictures. Thanks for sharing

  14. I haven’t ventured into Indonesia yet. Hopefully the chance comes by very soon.
    Tana Toraja is so unusual , it makes me more curious. Rock cut graves sounds so mysterious. I will include this place along with Bali in my itinerary.

  15. Will be visiting Indonesia in July, not sure if I Will visit this place but looks like an amazing find . Is the Christ statue bigger than the redeemer in Brazil

  16. I’ve never heard of Tana Toraja but it sounds amazing. Those traditional houses shaped like ships are very unique. I can see why people call it a place in the clouds. I hope to go there myself some day and see it!

  17. I would be a bit afraid of visiting Bukit Buntu. I understand the celebration of death but human skulls along would still scare me a bit.. While reading your post, I feel like this place would have such a powerful energy. Something to see and experience for yourself.

    I really like the boat look for the houses. Only 20 families? Do they venture into the city for supplies or do they grow and create everything themselves?

  18. Wow! Indonesia is so abundantly blessed by Mother Nature! Is just gorgeous… And now, I come to know of their rituals and practices and I’m all the more fascinated!

  19. I am really sad that I did not take the time to find out a lot more about Indonesia before I made a trip to Bali. This would have been a far better location as are many others that I have since heard about. I love the Tongkonan houses, they are beautiful and I could do a whole photojournal on those alone. Thanks for the eye opener to another great spot in Indonesia for me to try.

  20. That’s very strange to know about the ritual, so comparatively its a kind of celebration for reversed life cycle that shows the courage of the culture. i’d never been to Indonesia but would love to go one day soon.

  21. I’m always excited to learn about the new culture. Indonesia is on my bucket list and hope to visit there soon! Thanks for sharing this wonderful post with us!

  22. Sulawesi looks and sounds incredible. I love learning about different cultures especially rites and rituals. The UNESCO site is also very inteiguing will be researching more.

  23. I am not really aware this culture at all. Its good to know about it. Indonesia is on my list so I will make that I visit this place along as well.

  24. As always, your words and writing are so captivating. This is a really good post introducing more facets of Indonesia than just the typical tourist places in Bali. it was very interesting to read about Toraja and the communities that live there.

  25. I love how the roofs all look like the stern of a ship. The markings on it look so beautiful – I would love to see close up shots of the houses. I can’t even begin to imagine the process of building it.

  26. I love the constructions of Ke’te Kesu, no wonder why they’re a Wolrd Heritage site! I had actually never heard of many of these places, Indonesia is such an unknown country for me, but it looks like there’s some very interesting places to explore!

  27. I came across Sulawesi through my research and since then I was fascinated with it. Especially Tana Toraja. The whole ritual was quite intriguing. I would love to do that as well as go for a dive in the North Sulawesi. Thanks for all that detailed information on that funeral ritual…It does sound fascinating.

  28. It was indeed fascinating to meet the villagers of thr local place, and know the stories of their land that is passes by from their ancestors. Hope these place wouldn’t be so commercialized to preserve it unique beauty.

  29. What an honour and a privilege to meet these people, see their homes and learn about their culture! This is the kind of traveling which really fascinates me.

  30. I have been here last year and I can say something about this incredible place. These ancient traditions belong to cultures, and cultures make societies. In the end, we all have our own cultures, beliefs and traditions but we are all the same, humans. The ceremony was really interesting for me, but I agree that is not for everyone. Even if we are talking about culture and tradition between the public the most were tourists. Tana Toraja is now the second most popular destination for tourists in Indonesia after Bali. The influx of foreign visitors boosts the economy of the local region and “motivates” the local people to keep their ancient customs alive, partly for the benefit of visitors coming to see the “show” and partly for their own benefit.
    Thanks for sharing this post and your words bring me to the past, to an UNIQUE place!! 😀

  31. I was in Sulawesi about 7 years ago, staying in Makassar for a while and going to Rantepao, and yes, there are very few tourists there, especially in Makassar, where I think I was the only white person. I went to a funeral in Toraja and saw five buffalo killed in front of me. This is a seriously special place.

  32. What an unusual place! What attracted me the most was the unique architecture of those Tongkonan houses..the roof in the shape of a ship stern. I find it fascinating to see how houses/buildings of the past used to reflect culture so deeply. All that is gone now.

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