Tana Toraja Funeral

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Attending a funeral Ceremony at Tana Toraja is privilege one is fortunate to experience. Regardless of the status of the deceased as to how large the Ceremony is, it is certain to ignite all your senses and plant itself in your memory forever. I was lucky enough to be in Rentepao when a Funeral Ceremony was taking place for a Village noble. The funeral was an affair that went over a week however I attending the main day and left before the sacrificing of animals began. I understood the importance of the slaughter and the offering of the meat to the village people however I knew I would not be able to witness the killings so I chose not to sit for that particular part of the service. Rather than give an account of the funeral in my main blog text, I have included photographs and captions that will explain most of what I saw.
I will make a certain mention though of the decision to attend the funeral with or without a guide. I did listen to a lot of debate as to who was going with a guide and who wasn't. Not surprising as the price for a car and guide is now costing the traveler approx 550 000rp. The car is around 300 000rp with the guide fee or fee's on top of that. The plural of fee is due to some guides not having a driver’s license therefore a driver is also needed. The rental car is unusually plush as most being a brand new Toyota 4WD. If you think that by adding more people to the car to make the cost less for you than think again! These cars can hold 8 people however the Guides will only take a maximum of four. The reason is to make it more "comfortable" for you. Nothing to do with spreading out the tourists to make more money. The guides I am referring to are the "Official” guides of the area.
An Australian couple who was staying at my guest house & I chose to go along with a guide for a fee so we would get the most out of the ceremony. Our guide was fairly useless in a sense that if we didn't ask he didn't explain so if you are choosing a guide make sure you understand him and he understands what you want to know. Otherwise he is just being paid to drive around with you.
It is possible to attend the service without one but please be careful as during the service I saw a few tourists who chose to do it alone making a few errors of judgment simply because they didn't know any better.
There is etiquette to the service and given that you are an uninvited unofficial guest, it's best to at the very least respect the custom of the people & culture. An informed guide will no doubt ensure that your presence is always in line with protocol so you won't find yourself standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you are still determined to do it alone maybe these little hint might help. The Toraja people more than likely won't chastise you if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time but at the end of the day, would you want yourself to be reflected in that manner?
The funeral ceremony will begin with the body of the deceased being paraded on a float through the village. It will then make its way back to the family compound where the ceremony will take place. The parade is a lot of jostling; singing and movement so when you see it approach, get clear out of the way. Believe it or not I saw a tourist walking in front of the parade taking photos. Stay to the side and take your photos from a distance. The only people that should be on the path in the ceremony are the pall bearers and traditional dancers.
The families of the deceased are gathered under the rice barns. Each rice barns has a number and it pertains to a certain family member. The front of the rice barns are kept clear so that the elders may sit in the shade within the rice barn and view the ceremony. Again, there were tourists who plonked themselves on the front of the rice barns so that they had "ringside" seating. In turn blocked the view of the elders. The Toraja people will invite you to sit with them and they will offer you tea, coffee, biscuits & cake. Make sure you take a gift for them as an appreciation of their hospitality. Remember, you are at a funeral not a side show.
The main area where the animals are being slaughtered and where the deceased body is placed after the parade should be kept clear. There is a process that follows and the grounds shouldn't be trampled on until the body is removed from the float and placed in the tower. Once again, I couldn't believe my eyes when a tourist walked out to the body and started taking photos; the only person on the arena area. If you don't have a long lens than forget it.
There are times on your travels where many things are accessible by simply following a map, and then there are times when a guide is a smart move. Just make sure you talk with your guide first and get some prices. I met a couple who hired a guide on a motorbike whilst they rode their own motorbike. This cut the cost of hiring a car, driver and guide. Smart move however it was a downpour that afternoon. Tana Toraja loves an afternoon storm so rain is likely. Take a raincoat regardless!

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Photos

The Village people
After the animals comes the surrounding village people. All flying a flag of their clan

Colours of the village
Proudly flying the colours of their clan

River of red & black
It is traditional for the family to wear black but neccessary for others. The red ribbon is not always used in the ceromony. Mostly for a funeral with status. Like this one. It was for a noble man.

First sighting
The deceased is paraded on a float carried by more than 30 pall bearers. The body is wrapped in red in lays under the house on the float.

the mourners
The deceased is followed by many loved ones. There is plenty of singing & rejoicing of his his.

Young man & buffalo
At this funeral there were at least 40 buffalo sacrificed and hundreds of pigs.

Helping Hand
The ladies arriving to help out with the service of food & drinks for the day.

Facade
This is a temporary building which is erected for the sole purpose of the funeral ceremony. The building will house many families which will sleep and each within.

Front of facade
all made from bamboo

memorial
Facinating to think that the deceased could have died a year before. The toraja people believe that a person only dies when they are buried. Until that time they are considered sick. The body is embalmed and even still lies in his/her bed with his/her husband/wife.

a famiy's point of view
the closest family have a position under the rice barn where they have an open view of the ceremony.

all the children
The children watching the goings on from their place in the family hut. Out of the sun and in the cool.

to the beat of the drum
Hard work! These women beat a large drum with poles of bamboo. Up & down, Up & down.

Tradtional dancer
Dancing and leading the body back home.

please don't do this
Not a sole on the grounds as the body of the deceased is brought in except for this wingnut who decided taking a picture was ok. I was shocked and stunned but the least little bit surprised

Cutting the body loose
The entire float is reused for other purposes. The body is in the red roll. It will be lifted to the funeral tower to remain their for the ceremony.

reusing
This was the base of the float. Now it is the ladder which will be used to lift the body to the tower

First up
First up the bamboo ladder is the float.

pall bearers struggle
The body is lifted off the float and hoistered by hand up to the tower