Monday, March 15, 2010

Ethnic Toraja

Toraja is a tribe that settled in the mountainous northern part of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its population is estimated around 600,000 inhabitants. They also settled on some plain Luwu and West Sulawesi.
Toraja name originally given by the Bugis and the Luwu Sidenreng. Sidenreng people call this local resident called to Riaja which means "He who dwells in the land above or mountains", was called to the Luwu Riajang which means "one who dwells in the west". There is also another version that says the origin Toraya To = Tau (people), Raya = from the word Maraya (large), meaning the great men, noble. Gradually it became Toraja mention. Tana word meaning 'country', so that the settlement Toraja tribe known then by the name of Tana Toraja.
Tana Toraja region also dubbed Lili'na Lapongan Tondok Matari'allo Tana Moon, with the literal meaning of "State of the round like the Moon and the Sun". This region is inhabited by one ethnic (ethnic Toraja).

Coffins used in funerals were carved to resemble animals (Erong). Adat Toraja society is to store the bodies in the cliff / cave hole, or made a home (Pa'tane). Some areas currently cemetery has become a tourist attraction, as in:

Londa, which is an ancient cemetery in a cave, one can find dozens of rows in erong rocks that have been hollowed out, skulls were strewn on the stone indicates the coffin had been damaged in eating age. Londa is located in the village of UAI Sandan District Sanggalai 'at a distance of 7 km from Rantepao, directions to the South, natural caves are filled with an amazing panorama 1000 meters deep in, can be enjoyed with a guide who has been trained guides and professional.
Lemo is one of the Toraja ancestor's grave, which is a grave nature that carved in the sixteenth century or the local called Liang Paa '. Number of holes there are 75 ancient stone fruit and tau-tau an upright standing some 40 fruit as symbols of prestige, status, role and position of the nobles in the village of Lemo. Lemo named because of this rock pit model that resembles a round orange spots.

Looks Allo, which is a natural cave graves located in Kelurahan Sangalla 'and contains dozens of Erong, tens of Tau-tau, and hundreds of skulls and human bones. In the sixteenth century by the rulers Sangalla 'in this case the Puang Manturino with his wife chose Bualaan Rangga Allo cave looking for burial place later if they died, as the realization of the promise and oath of husband and wife "as lively as dead one buried us both". Goa looks Alllo is 19 km from Kruger National Park and 12 km from Makale.

No comments:

Post a Comment