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TORAJA LAND

Tana Toraja is one of the most popular touris destinaton in South - Sulawesi and in Indonesia as well. From a distances ones see the jagged ridges of the hills, ones can also find beautiful valley in which bamboos and sugar palms grow up, and the traditional house with curved roof among the paddy fields that are a beautifully and naturally carved and colored by the skillful people of Tana Toraja.

Religion

Before the Dutch come to power in this high land in the 17th Century, there was no even a single word given for the name of their religion instead of the word " aluk " which refers that ritual ways and daily live activities that are to be controlled, without special instruction of how build a house, to plant rice, to greet boys and the head of the village, and the numbers of the buffaloes and pigs that must be slaughtered in every ritual ceremony. One of the principal of this teaching is to apply ' give and take' tradition among them. Blesses and curse used to come between the one who still a life and the spirits of his or her ancestry

The most prestigious ceremony in Tana Toraja is the death ceremonial. More than half
the people of Tana Toraja are Christian. They still up hold and proud of their culture heritage and welcoming the guest ritually.

Architecture

One of the most noticeable aspect about Tana Toraja is the size and the grandeur
of Tongkonan ( The Traditional Houses
of Torajan ), raised on piles and topped with massive roof. The house are closely bound up with Torajan Traditional, one of their function is as a constant reminder of
the authority of original noble families.
whose descendents alone have a right to build such house.

The state of the Tongkonan also symbolizes the unity of the clan. It is the meeting place
for family gatherings, and may not be bought or sold. Tana Toraja is one of the few places in Indonesia where traditional houses are still being built. and the skill to make them survive. The owners often live in the modern houses, keeping Tongkonan for ceremony and as symbol of the family status.

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