Culture | tanatoraja

Tana Toraja Culture

Toraja culture is complex and fascinating, steeped in a belief that dates back centuries, known as Aluk Todolo. Aluk Todolo means ‘the belief of the ancestors’ and it follows extensive mythology on the creation of the universe as well as it’s functioning. It set out what has now become ethno-cultural practice, through a series of beliefs concerning rituals of everyday life.

Though most Toraja people have converted to Christianity or Islam, and only a small percentage of the population still believe in Aluk Todolo, the practices and rituals rooted in this old belief are now congruent with Toraja culture and ethnic identity. For this reason, practices and rituals continue.

It is said that Toraja’s ancestors originally came to Toraja by boat and used their boats as houses upon arrival. This is believed to be the influence behind the architectural style of Toraja’s traditional houses and rice barns. These traditional structures are adorned with intricate carvings, which hold deep symbolism relating to Aluk Todolo.

Traditional Torajan Funerals

Tana Toraja is known for its elaborate funeral ceremonies which can last for up to one week. These funeral practices were begun by the Torajan ancestors and continue to be a big part of Torajan life today.

To express one's last love for a member of one's family, a big funeral ceremony is thrown in memory of that person. These elaborate funerals begin with the body being carried from one's house to the Lakkean (a special place for the body to reside during the funeral, symbolising the transition from the world of life to the world of death). Buffalos are an important creature in Aluk Todolo and play a big part in Torajan funerals. Buffalo fighting takes place and the number of guests begin to rise. Depending on the size of the funeral, the welcoming of guests may take 1-3 days. Once guests have been welcomed, buffalos and pigs are sacrifised and the meat is distributed to those attending the funeral. The burial happens on the last day, and the body is placed in a grave.

There are four types of graves in Toraja; Erong, Liang, Patane and Passilliran.

Erong are big wooden coffins dating back to before the 17th century. Torajans placed precious materials beside the deceased person in the coffin, for its use in the afterlife. Outsiders came to the area and began stealing the precious materials, and so these intricately carved graves were replaced with the use of Liang in the 17th century.

Liang are hand chiseled stone graves and are large enough to fit one family. Though this practice still continues today, it is only for those who have access to large rock faces.

Patane is the newest type of traditional grave in Toraja. It is called a 'house grave' because it takes the shape of little house. Though Patane have been in use for around 50 years, they have only become very commonly used in more recent times due to its easy accessibility in comparison to Liang.

Passilliran are baby graves which reside in big, hollow trees. Babies that died before they grew teeth were buried in trees up until fifty years ago. The tree became the babies' new mother and the sap represented the mother's milk. This type of grave is no longer in practice in Toraja.