Mamasa: The forgotten side of Toraja

Mamasa: The forgotten side of Toraja

Filomena Reiss, Contributor, Mamasa, South Sulawesi

When you tell people you are going to Mamasa, you often get a
questioning look. "Is it in Manado?" someone asked me.

At least it's on the same island. Mamasa is in fact a quiet
hillside town which is still part of Tana Toraja. It is situated
340 kilometers from Makassar, about eight hours to nine hours
drive to the north of Polewali, Sumarorong.

The town was known in the local language as Mamase, meaning
"lovely valley", and it was changed to Mamasa by the Dutch when
they came here in 1907 and made it a favored mountain resort.

Unlike Toraja, Mamasa does not have spectacular tourist
attractions or elaborate funeral rituals, but this region still
has many traditional houses and beautiful landscapes that are
ideal for trekking.

But, be forewarened that the pace of progress is slow here,
and the roads to villages are passable only by motorbike, horse
or on foot.

Starting from Pena, half an hour from Mamasa town, the first
stop is Tedong-Tedong, the buffalo coffins, which is a special
graveyard for the village people's ancestors. The coffins were
cut out of a single huge tree trunk and carved into a shape of a
water buffalo.

As you walk slowly uphill you see plenty of Robusta and
Arabica coffee plantations and can smell the newly roasted coffee
being pounded. It is a delightful experience to drink a freshly
ground brew of coffee when you stop by one of the village houses.

Traditional houses, called buana sura, are similar to those in
Tana Toraja. The thatched roof is boat-shaped, but has slightly
extended gables. The people believe that their ancestors came
from the sea by ship up the river. A huge carving of a buffalo
head is usually placed on the big post in front of the houses, as
well as a curved horse's head, which is a new status symbol.

The roofs need to be rethatched every couple of years, which
is expensive for the villagers, and the traditional houses are
fast disappearing. More than half of the ones we saw had
corrugated iron roofs. Some may call it progress but it totally
changes the feel of the place.

Ballapeu is the longest traditional village in Toraja, with
approximately 200 houses and rice barns in a row. The village is
1,400 meters above sea level, an ideal place to stay overnight.

Dinner here can be arranged and if you are lucky you will be
offered boiled black rice, specially served to noble people. At
sunset or sunrise one can see the beautiful panoramic view of
Mamasa, half an hour's walk up the hill.

From Ballapeu, you trek down to Batarirak, passing well-tended
rice terraces, and after four hours trekking you arrive at
Rantesepang, a weaving center. The women here weave commercial
dyed threads in bright red, orange, purple and blue on a back
strap loom to make into a double-purpose sarong-cum-blanket,
called a sambu.

The next village for an overnight stay is Tawalian. Bapak
Phillips who owns the whole village of traditional houses is able
to arrange for the villagers to perform a welcome dance and songs
accompanied by an unusual bamboo flute orchestra, but you need to
make a request in advance. Philipps' wife makes the costumes for
the dancers, including the colorful beads they wear called
sassang.

The walk the next day was through the rice fields, passing
cliff cave graves on the hillsides. In Mamasa the dead are buried
in cliff caves in a rite similar to Tana Toraja.

One can also visit the oldest church in the Mamasa area, built
by the Dutch in 1929 (the church bells are still the Dutch
originals).

Although most Mamasanese are Christians, they still follow
their traditional rites called Aluk Tomatua, meaning "the rules
from the ancestors", passed down from generation to generation
through oral teachings.

Pastor Juliana, who proudly served us her traditional dish of
chicken and banana trunk cooked in bamboo with sauteed fern,
heads the church.

A visit to Rantebuda village is a must, home to the biggest
traditional house in Mamasa. The house belongs to the former
leader of the village who has the title rambusaratu, meaning
"hundred smokes" or one who performs extraordinary functions in
the society. The house has the largest front pole of any in
Mamasa, indicating the high status of the residents.

There are other places around Mamasa to trek, but for a longer
distance. If you have time and energy, you could cross Tana
Toraja in three days and two nights. This is probably better and
worthwhile as the road from Mamasa to Tana Toraja is often washed
away by the rain.

Since Mamasa became a regency earlier this year, the head of a
trekking agency in Mamasa, Arianus, is hopeful that the road and
telecommunications will improve soon, so this trekking haven
could attract more tourists.

If you do decide to come to this unspoilt part of Sulawesi
(before the rest get in on the secret), remember a few things:

* Make arrangements well in advance if you plan to trek in
Mamasa, as communications are still bad.

* Contact a good trekking agency (in advance), which can
arrange your stay and food in the villages.

* The days are hot, but the nights can get very cold, and you
will need a light sleeping bag.

* A first aid kit is essential as medical facilities in the
area are limited (and hospitals far away)

* Be prepared to eat different types of rice most of the time
and traditional food.