TORAJA PEOPLE

TORAJA 

It is about Toraja, an ethnic living in South Sulawesi. Local people believe that their ancestors come from heaven, but scientific evidences show that most likely ancient Toraja were originated by mixing of native tribe in that area with migrants from Indo-China. The mixing was estimated occurring between 3000 BC to 500 BC. Literally, Toraja means high people as Toraja live in a mountain area called Tana Toraja.

 

In old days, Toraja people were mostly animism, with a lot of ceremonies conducted to worship the power of nature. Even nowadays, where most people have been converted to Christian or even a few to Islam, the old traditions are still well maintained. The most famous tradition is funeral ceremony. The ceremony is thought as the most critical stage of the journey of death people spirit to reach heaven. The festivals consist of bull fighting, variety of dancing and killing buffalo with a single cut on the throat. Plenty of buffalo and pig are sacrificed in the festival before the death body is then put in caves in high cliff. This sequence of ceremony attracts tourists to visit Tana Toraja. It has become a source of income of Toraja people. With the increase of visitors from time to time, handicraft industries grow fast.

 

Beside tourism, farming is another field done by the Toraja people to support their lives. As a mountain area, limited area where can be farmed is not enough to support the growing of population. For this reason, plenty of Torajan leave their land and move to other part on this country. Present times, Torajan can be found in every place in this country.

 

INESIA ARIETAMA