Tana Toraja - The Mystical Beauty

TaTor or Tana Toraja is an exotic highland that is very famous with its burial sites. Talking about Toraja will make us talk about its gorgeous view, great coffee, unique tradition, and the mystical sensation behind its beauty.

Entering Tana Toraja is like getting into a new world where you would hold your breath of admiring its natural scenery, at the same time feeling creepy of seeing so many holes on the rock or stone mountains; because you know there are dead bodies laying inside the holes. 

People in Toraja are mostly Christian but they are still practicing animist. Toraja is famed for their spectacular burial rites. After a person's death, the body is kept inside their house, often for several years, while money is saved to pay for the actual funeral ceremony, known as tomate. During the festival, which may last up to a week, ritual dances and buffalo fights are held, and buffaloes and pigs are slaughtered to ferry the soul of the deceased to the afterlife (puya). The deceased is then finally buried either in a small cave, often with a tau-tau effigy placed in front, inside a hollow tree or even left exposed to the elements in a bamboo frame hanging from a cliff.

How to Get there?

To reach TaTor from Makassar, you’ll have to drive for about 9 hours to the north. You can take a bus from Makassar to Rantepao or Makale, Toraja that will cost you around 70,000 – 150,000IDR. Another option you can rent a car for 550,000 per day. You can also fly from Sultan Hasanuddin Airport to Pong Tiku Airport in Makale, Toraja. If you go in group, it is better for you to rent a car. Not only that it is cheaper than taking a plane, it will also make you easier to explore many sites in TaTor. Besides, during your driving to TaTor you’ll have opportunity to stop at other regions and enjoy their beauty.

One place where you can stop on your way to Toraja is Buttu Kabobong or Gunung Nona at Bambapuang, Enrekang. Buttu Kabobong in Enrekang language is also called as Massenrempulu or Erotic Mountain. Buttu or Buntu means mountain, and Kabobong means erotic. The mountain is named that way because the valleys and slopes that form the mountain is often associated with female genital. Having tired of driving, you will be refreshed by its beautiful view and fresh air. Don’t forget to enjoy the view while sipping Enrekang Coffee. Yes, though it is not as popular as Toraja coffee, Enrekang coffee tastes as great as its neighbour’s.

Buttu Kabobong, Enrekang

Where to Go in Tator?

To explore Tator, you’ll need at least 2 days, since there are so many burial caves, baby graves, traditional villages, and spectacular panorama sites. Of course, you don’t have to visit the whole sites, since many of them are similar to each other. Some main sites that are worth for you to visit are Batutumonga, Kete’Kesu, and Londa

Batutumonga

Batutumongan is in the north of Toraja, located in Sesean area, above Rantepao. It is a highland with cool climate where you can enjoy spectacular panorama and see burial site. As far as the eyes can see is green scenery with so many ‘Menhirs’ stones and bamboo trees.

At Batutumonga, dead bodies inside the stone

                     

                                                                View at Batutumonga

Kete’Kesu

Below Batutumonga is Rantepao area where you can find traditional village megalith in Karasik and traditional village in Buntu Pune. Not far from there is Kete’kesu where you can see the most complete settlement: an example of traditional village with compound of houses and granaries, burial site, ceremonial ground, rice field, and buffalo pasture.

At the front side, your eyes will meet wide paddy field; next to it are lines of traditional Tongkonan houses of Toraja. Kete’Kesu is no longer inhabited; it has been converted into a living museum. It is set in purpose to display Toraja architecture and daily life. Besides visiting the burial site, you can also buy traditional handicraft sold in the kiosks in front of the gate. 

Granaries and buffalo pasture at KeteKesu

Londa

Londa is one of famous cave burial sites in TaTor. Inside the cave are coffins that are arranged and grouped based on the family lines. Based on the local guide, those who were buried in Londa are coming from one big family, named Tolengkek Family (Marga Tolengkek). Don’t get shocked of finding many skeletons tumbling out of the rotten coffins. Though it is far from the aesthetic eyes, but the Toraja people are quite pleased to display their ancestors and feel honored of welcoming foreign guests who come visiting the burial site.

At the front side of the cave, you will find a balcony with dozens of tau-tau sitting in rows. Tau-tau is an effigy made of wood or bamboo; mostly the effigies are made of wood from jackfruit trees. Each tau-tau represents the dead body buried in the cave. A ceremony is held prior the making of tau-tau. 

The luxury of a funeral shows a person’s social class. The more powerful the person who died, the more buffaloes are slaughtered and the longer the funeral festival is held.

Albino buffalos are very special for Toraja people. It costs a whole fortune; hundreds million rupiah for a buffalo. Slaughtering an albino buffalo during funeral ceremony indicates the high status and power of the dead person and the family.  

Lines of Tongkonan houses at Kete Kesu

Burial Site at Kete Kesu

Albino buffalo costs around 600 millions IDR

Other things in TaTor

If you have enough time to explore TaTor, don’t forget to visit hanging grave in Pala’tokke, not far from Kete’Kesu and also baby grave in Sangalla.

Besides famous with its handicraft, Toraja’s Arabica coffee has high reputation worldwide. In many warung / café, you will also find traditional drink of Toraja which is called Ballok. Ballok or Ballo is Torajan palm wine. It is usually drunk from a bamboo tube. Be careful not to try it since it can be very strong. The darker, the stronger it is.

Hotels and hostels are many in Toraja, since the people are very welcome with tourists. Finding halal food is quite difficult here; ask the waiter for its halal before you order your food. Plan your visit carefully, so that you don’t have to stay longer. Have a great adventure and enjoy the mystical beauty of Toraja!

A balcony with dozens of tau-tau in Londa

Skeletons and skulls inside the cave in Londa

Note: Published in CnS Magazine, Ed. January 2015