TANA TORAJA - SOUTH SULAWESI

The land of the Toraja people, many notionally Christian but most in practice animist, is above all famed for their spectacular (and rather gruesome) burial rites. After a person's death, the body is kept — 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.

Prime funeral season is after the harvest in July to October.



HOW TO REACH TANA TORAJA

By plane

The only airport in Tana Toraja is in Rantepao, which was closed for several years for upgrading. The airport reopened in late 2005 and Dirgantara Air Service (DAS) now operates flights three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, departing from Makassar at 10 AM (30 min, Rp. 250,000 one way). Note that the tiny airport can only handle turboprops and has no navigation gear, so flights are often delayed or cancelled in bad weather.

By bus

Tana Toraja is a solid 300-km, 8-10 hour drive from Makassar. The cost is 80,000 Rupiah on an air-conditioned bus from Makassar to Rantepao. There is usually a morning or an overnight bus. Frequent mikrolets/bemos leave from Makassar to the bus terminal and take about 40 minutes.

By taxi or charted vehicle

A chartered car usually costs about 700,000 Rupiah one-way from Makassar. It is possible to find one for a few hundred thousand less if you can coordinate with someone who is driving in that direction. If you plan on staying for a few days and would like the return trip as well, a driver with car should cost about 400,000 Rupiah per day.

WHAT TO SEE IN TANA TORAJA

Most hotels will put pressure to hire a local guide for 150,000+ Rp a day. Although it can be expensive if you are on a budget, a guide can provide a lot of insight into the local practices and customs.

It is still possible to visit most of the famous sites and funerals on your own, although information can be hard to find from most hotel operators. Tora Tora Primitive Art Gallery has a very friendly English-speaking owner who provides free maps of the area. It is located on the main street in Rantepao.

There are many walks (1-3hrs) that pass by many different types of gravesites, including the most popular sites. Most can be reached by short bemo rides from Rantepao and do not require guides.

Source: www.wikitravel.org
Image Source: www.weltrekordreise.ch