on Saturday May 9, 2009
Fascinating land of ancient rituals
Story and photos by SALINA KHALID
Indonesia's third largest island, Sulawesi, is still very much unknown to Malaysian travellers, unlike its smaller neighbours like Bali or Java.
Yet, the orchid-shaped island, which is previously known as Celebes, offers a myriad of attractions from its natural beauty to its exotic culture that is still unaffected by modern life.
unique traditional Torajan houses or Tongkanan (left) and the rice barns or alang (right) with their steeply petched prow-shaped roofs in Tana Toraja. |
There are plenty to experience and see - from the unique traditions of the seafaring Bugis to the mystical cultures of the Torajan people in the highlands.
The Bugis people who dominate the coastal areas are known as excellent seamen while the Torajans are well known for their traditions and rituals.
Everything that the Torajans do is done according to their ancient tribal tradition called aluk to dolo (the law of the ancestors). Although more than 80% of the Torajans have embraced Christianity, they still hold on to the ancient Toraja traditions and their ancestors' belief in animism.
"Their ancestors are always with them, watching over them, their family and their property," said Roby, our Torajan tour guide who, like most Indonesians, does not have a last name.
Wooden effigies of the Torajans' dead known as tau-tau are commissined by the family members and placed on the wooden balconies built on the rock face of the hills or at the entrance of the cave where their remians are interred.
One of the closest links between Malaysia and southern Sulawesi is probably the Bugis community.
Sulawesi, which is also known as the land of the Bugis, is home to the ancestors of many Malaysian Malays.A view of the boat makers' village.
Known for their seafaring skill, the Bugis have sailed to distant seas on their own man-made sailboats called phinisi nusantara.
Armed with basic toolds like the axe and chisel, the Bugis people from Ara village along the Tana Beru at the southern tip of Sulawesi, build sail boats to meet orders from as far as Europe, Canada and Australia.
Building the boats is a full-time job for the people and it takes a few months to complete.
"In the old days, it took years as we have to treat the wood to make it into the shape of the boat but now it can be done in few months with the availability of modern tools and technology," said Bakri Tika, a 50-year-old Bugis boat maker.
"Boat making is a skill that we are born with," he said.
"In Bugis tradition, when a boy is born, the placenta is thrown into the sea int he belief that it would make
the baby a seaman, and be part of the sea," he said.
There are no sketches or design for Bakri to follow in his boat-making process. "We just follow our heart and what has been passed down to us by our forefathers," he said.
Bakri is confident that the boat-making tradition would continue as many youngsters in the village have shown an interest and willingness to continue the tradition due to the lucrative earnings it offers.
Southern Sulawesi also has many museums to visit where visitors can learn the story of the people and their customs.
The province is also the place to see traditional Kajang villages where residents clad in black walk barefoot and carry goods on horseback.
Our adventure in Southern Sulawesi was impressive although the 1,200km drive in the van throughout the six-day trip covering Makassar, the capital of Southern Sulawesi and Rantepao in the heart of Torajaland and the surrounding area, certainly was not. The trip from Makassar to Tana Toraja alone takes about six hours.
Efforts are being made to restore the airline services from the capital to the highland to provide easier access for visitors. The Tana Toraja local authority is planning to restore the airline service from Makassar to the highland.
The writer's media familiarisation trip to South Sulawesi was sponsored by the Indonesian Embassy of Kuala Lumpur. Air Asia provides a daily flight (one flight daily) to Makassar from the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and back.
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