Torajans told to preserve culture

Torajans told to preserve culture

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Tana Toraja regency should
create new tourist attractions and preserve local indigenous
culture if it wants to remain one of the country's top tourist
destinations.

This recommendation came out of a workshop of Tana Toraja
community leaders on July 4 and July 5 at Missiliana Hotel in the
regency's capital of Rantepao.

The workshop, opened by regent Tarsis Kodrat, was part of the
week-long Tana Toraja festival, which coincided with the
regency's 750th anniversary, which ended last night.

To compile ideas on ways to develop Tana Toraja, the workshop
featured well-known locals such as Jonathan L. Parapak, J.
Salusu, Salombe and Stanislaus Sandarupa.

Speakers warned that if it failed to innovate, Tana Toraja
would not be able to compete with other famous tourist
destinations like Bali.

Tana Toraja's main attractions are its natural landscape,
traditional houses, ancient hill-top cemeteries and religious
rituals.

The symposium urged religious leaders not to convert the
20,000 or so native Torajans who embraced Aluk Todolo, a Hindu
sect.

Most of Tana Toraja's 400,000 people are Christian.

Stanislaus Sandarupa, a lecturer at Ujungpandang's Hasanuddin
University, said it would be "unthinkable" if the remaining Alyuk
Todolo believers were converted to another religion.

"Let them be the bastion of their ancestors' cultural
hereditary," he said.

The week-long festival, closed by regent Tarsis, had 16
cultural events, including traditional rituals, buffalo fighting
and story telling. (37/pan)