Unique Funeral Tradition of Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi has a unique funeral tradition, with ceremonies reflecting a blend and wealth. When a Torajan dies in Toraja land, family members of the deceased are required to hold funeral ceremonies that usually hold several days before the deceased is broughtto afuneralsite of burial. Torajan funerals are held only when the families have saved enough money to host the elaborate event. Why? because in the one hand, it is necessary to build a complete village to house hundreds or more of guests and families of the deceased that come from other provinces in Indonesia and sometimes from other country, and in the other hand, the major cost to buying animals for sacrifice. One healthy buffalo can cost up to Rp 40 million and a pig can cost up to Rp 3 million and the family must provide more than 50 pigs and several buffalo to be sacrificed. The most exciting part of the ceremony is the buffalo fights and slaughter. Family members are required to make buffalo fighting each other and to slaughter buffaloes and pigs as they believe that the spirit of the deceased will live peacefully thereafter, continuing to herd the buffalo that have come to join him or her. The meat of the buffaloes and pigs distributed to the visitors . distribution is carried out in accordance to visitors' position in the community and the spirit of the deceased is also gets portion of meat, it called Aluk Todolo. the heads of the buffaloes are returned to what is locally known as Puya (a site for the soul or spirit of the dead person) and thier horns placed in front of the house of the kin. The more horns placed in front of the house, the higher the status of the deceased.