Travellive 11-2018

The daily prayers are emitted from
loudspeakers, but the Tana Torajan people still live
peacefully, enjoying their way of life.
wasn’t until Hendri showed me the video on his phone that I clearly realized
how immensely tragic the accident was.
I was taken to the cave area where many wooden Torajan coffins are placed
on bamboo trusses and suspended amidst the mountains. Hendri hired a local
man who brought along a huge gas lamp to take us inside the cave. Seeing
strangers heading into the cave, flocks of short-nose fruit bats bellowed out
loudly. From the cave entrance, there were many stone niches used as Torajan
tombs. There was what appeared to be a new stone niche with a wreath stating
that the date of death was about 3 weeks ago. Inside the cave were rocks with
countless skulls placed on top. The cover of the decayed barrels had already
rotted to the point where I could see clearly with my naked eye the mummies
inside. The mummies were treated with fragrant cigarettes with the purpose
of keeping them in their original shape. The local man showed me two human
skulls placed next to each other and told me those were the skulls of a couple
who committed suicide more than 10 years ago. They fell in love with each
other but couldn’t stay together because the girl’s family did not accept their
love. The couple ended up hanging themselves, and later, local people placed
their bodies in this cave.
The most sacred spot of Tana Toraja that Hendri told me to visit is the giant
rock called Lemo, which is also the largest collective grave for local rich
people. Henri told me that not everyone could afford the tiny space which is of
about 1 meter high, 2 meters deep and 80 centimeters wide to bury their loved
ones, sending them to the next world. The coffins were ornately decorated, yet,
due to the impact of time, the wood gradually decayed, which reoriented the
bones of the deceased from their original positions.
For babies who die before their teeth grow, Torajans bore a hole in the trunk
of a tree then place the corpse inside. They then weave a protective barrier
from palm leaves and place it over the hole. As time passes by, the trees grow,
and the hollows gradually disappear. Every tree might become the resting
place for dozens of babies. Whenever I enter a cave or forest, I never forgot to
pray, asking the souls for their permission. This is regarded as a ritual to show
respect for “the hosts” before visiting them.
It can be said that never in this world has there been a closeness between the
living and the dead as in Tana Toraja.
MORE INFORMATION
Transportation
‣ Flight: Tana Toraja has a small
airport and there is only one flight
a week every Monday. However,
this flight is usually cancelled due to
insufficient number of passengers or
poor weather conditions. These days,
the government has invested in a new
airport called Buntukunik, tourists can
fly to Tana Toraja every day on the
ATR 72.
‣ Bus: Traveling by bus is the most
popular way of travelling among
tourists and locals. Tana Toraja is
located 300 km from Makassar, about
8 hours of travel. Take a night bus
to save time and money. There are 2
high-quality bus firms from Makassar
to Rantepao that depart every day,
including Bingtang Prima and Litha &
Co with the ticket price being around
200,000 Rp/turn. You can take a small
bus operating in the Rantepao area
for 2,000 Rp for short trips of a few
kilometers.
‣ Taxi or rental car: You can order
a cab or rent a car during your Tana
Toraja journey. The cost for renting
is between 850,000 and 1,200,000 Rp/
turn from Makassar to Rantepao. You
might also negotiate going to Rantepao
with a cab driver to save money or rent
a car for 550,000 Rp/day.
‣ You can also rent a motorbike for
80,000 to 100,000 Rp/day.
Sightseeing: Tana Toraja is full of
traditional villages, beautiful caves and
spectacular terraced fields. However,
there are not a lot of directional signs
to remote villages or festivals, thus,
you should go with a local tour guide.
Must-see spots in Tana Toraja include
Gunung Season Hill with a panoramic
view of the highland town of Rantepao,
the giant Lemo stone tomb where
Torajans are buried, Londa cave where
the bodies of the dead are buried,
Bori Parinding where ceremonies are
performed, Ke’te Kesu’ traditional
village, Bolu Market, the baby tree
tombs of Kambira and the funeral
rituals in a traditional village of
Tana Toraja.
TRAVELLIVE 121