A heaven sent people and culture

Torajans believe that their ancestors originated from a marriage of people from the heaven and sea, creating their offspring together with the unique culture of Aluk Todelo.

That is the folklore version; more contemporary anthropological research reveals that ancestors of Torajans came from Indochina and belong to proto Malays, like the Batak of North Sumatra and the Dayak in Kalimantan, who migrated to the land many centuries ago.

The number of Torajans adhering to the Aluk Todolo tradition, however, continues to decrease and is now estimated at only 5 percent of the 400,000 population. Although most Torajans have converted to Christianity, many Torajan Christians still perform traditional rituals, especially those for death and marriage.

Major parts of Aluk Todolo are based on the belief that life is about upholding its principles, especially ancestor worship, in complying with the time-honored adat (customs).

For Torajans, the world is the place to see goodness, where people fulfill all obligations and responsibilities to the community, to live contentedly until death and the transition to the spirit world.

The final purpose of life is to prepare for death, so that when one dies the customary ceremonies reflect the deceased's efforts during the ephemeral world.

This is why death is an important event for the family and the community. The soul of any family member who dies may not automatically go to the spirit world (puya), but stays to disturb other living people in a kind of purgatory.

Such a soul is pitiful and suffers greatly; in order for it to proceed to puya, there must be a funeral rite in compliance with the Aluk Todolo rules.

Life in the puya must be just like living in this world. If one is happy in the world, then that same joy will be felt in the puya. Based on this belief, the family will put jewelry and other precious belongings in the grave to enable the deceased to continue to enjoy them. -- Abdul Khalik