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)