Exploring megalights deep in Sulawesi

Bambang M., Contributor, Palu, Central Sulawesi

After a five-hour journey through the dense tropical forest in Lore Lindu National Park, over muddy roads and across rivers, we finally arrived at the village of Doda in Poso regency.

Doda -- one of a number of villages in the Besoa Valley with a megalith heritage -- looked beautiful in the afternoon sun, though a tad scary with all the locals staring at us from their houses.

"This village is one of the destinations for refugees fleeing the conflict area in Poso," said David, our driver.

We slept in a house owned by Yusuf Bagia, a park ranger. We didn't know that dozens of locals came that night to ask Bagia who we were and why we were there. But he managed to send them away.

The next morning, though a little nervous because of the cool reception, we were ready to visit the megaliths.

"I would feel incomplete without visiting the megaliths," said Keith Harris of England, who has been a year in Central Sulawesi.

After breakfast, we went to the neighboring village of Hanggira, where we were surprised to see dozens of megaliths. There were kalamba (giant urns) and four human-like statues without hands and legs. The site is called Pokokea, and it has the most kalamba in the province.

A megalith is a very large, rough stone used in prehistoric cultures as a monument. Some archaeologists say megaliths date to between 5000 and 3000 B.C., but the megaliths in Central Sulawesi date back as early as 3000 B.C. to 1300 A.D.

Archaeologist Albert C. Kruyt wrote in his book, Het Lanschap Dada in Midden Celebes (1909), that the megaliths in Central Sulawesi were made by Caucasians migrating from the West. His idea was based on Macmillan Brown's Maori and Polynesian, Their Origin, History and Culture, that Caucasians speaking the Aryan language had migrated to the East through the Malaysia Peninsula, finally arriving in Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The megaliths were signs for the places they passed through.

In his Megalitic Finds in Central Sulawesi (1939), Walter Kaudern said it was still a mystery as to who was responsible for the megaliths in the province.

Megaliths can be found in many places in Indonesia, but Central Sulawesi has the most important sites, with kalamba and human-like statues only found here, particularly around the Lore Lindu National Park.

A 2001 study by the Palu-based Indonesia Katopasa Foundation showed that there are 431 megaliths in the park. The megaliths were divided into five categories, based on shape: human-like statues, kalamba, tutu'na (large stone disks, probably lids of the kalamba), batu dakon (flat to convex stones featuring channels, irregular pitting and other depressions, and other stone-like mortars) and umpak (house supports). The megaliths are spread across 22 villages, 17 in Poso regency and five in Donggala regency. The number might actually be higher, as some park rangers have said they have found unregistered megaliths in the jungle.

There are 13 kalamba at the Pokokea site, most of them still in good condition. The largest is 1.8 meters high and 1.5 meters in diameter. It is very special for having eight human-like statues carved in its upper part. There are also tutu'na at the site, the most special one with a monkey carved into its surface.

The kalamba may have been the king's cisterns. Most archaeologists say the kalamba are probably linked with sarcophagi used by aristocrats, as tradition requires the dead to be buried with supplies for the afterlife. Unfortunately, there is no trace of any treasures or bones, just these water vessels.

Tular Sudarmadi, an archaeologist from Gadjah Mada University, said megaliths had many functions.

"They could be used as a medium to provide services to the souls of ancestors, as signs to convey land ownership and other social functions."

Tular said the stones were probably left by a mobile people, as there were no signs of any giant stones weighing over one ton in the nearby river.

People living near the megalith sites have their own explanations for the stones. A human-like statue in Wange village is called Polenda. It is believed to have been a man assigned to keep pests away from the rice fields, but as he liked to seduce girls working in the fields he was turned to stone by an angry God.

Megaliths can be found in eight villages in the Bada Valley in Poso regency. In one of the villages can be found the biggest stone statue in Sulawesi, 3.82 meters in height and called To Salogi or Palindo by locals. The unique thing about the statue is that it slants at an angle of 30 degrees, just like the Tower of Pisa in Italy.

The megaliths in the Bada, Napu and Besoa valleys attracted many foreign tourists, before the conflict in Poso scared off visitors.

"Many tourists used to come to Doda, but since the conflict in Poso no one comes here," said Bagia.

Another megalith site that can be visited is the Watunonju Park in the village of Watunonju, about 20 kilometers from Palu heading toward the Napu Valley.

There are 13 stone mortars at the site found by Kruyt in 1898. The mortars used to lay in people's houses, but they were removed and the area was turned into a megalith park.

Despite all the fascinating megaliths, transportation is the main problem for those interested in seeing the stones. It is relatively easy to reach Napu Valley, but it is more difficult to reach the Bada or Besoa valley.

To get to Bada Valley, tourists have to follow the road between Poso and Toraja before turning into Tentena. But this road is very dangerous at present due to the conflict in Poso.

The safer route is from Palu heading south, before stopping in Gimpu village. Then the journey must be continued on foot due to the narrow road. Visitors must travel through the dense forest of Lore Lindu for two days. It is a challenge but would be enjoyed by those who enjoy ecotourism. A guide is necessary, and one can be found in Palu.

We reached Besoa Valley by car, although it was not easy. The road between Wuasa village and Besoa Valley is muddy, and we had to cross the river. We used a four-wheel drive jeep, but if visitors don't have this type of vehicle they can continue with a taxi jeep for Rp 30,000 per person.

"Those jeeps have no brakes. The brakes are never working because of the mud," said David laughing.

The exhaustion of the long journey over bumpy roads was quickly forgotten when we set eyes on the fascinating megaliths. It was worth all of the effort.