Society and Culture of Toraja Tribe in South Sulawesi
 |
| Tongkonan |
Toraja Tribe History
Toraja tribe is a tribe that settled in the mountainous northern part of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its
population is estimated about 1 million people, with 500,000 of whom
still live in Tana Toraja, Toraja Regency North and Regency Mamasa. The majority of Toraja tribe embraced Christianity, while the majority embraced Islam and animism known as Aluk To Dolo. The Indonesian government has recognized this belief as part of Hindu Dharma.
The word comes from the Bugis Toraja, to riaja, which means "one who dwells in the land of". The Dutch colonial government named the Toraja tribe in 1909. Toraja tribe famous for funeral rituals, traditional house tongkonan and carving wood. Toraja funeral rituals are important social events, usually attended by hundreds of people and lasted for several days.
Before the 20th century, Toraja tribe lived in autonomous villages. They still adhered to animism and untouched by the outside world. In the early 1900s, Dutch missionaries arrived and spread Christianity. After more open to the outside world in the 1970s, Tana Toraja regency became a symbol of Indonesian tourism. Tana Toraja exploited by tourism developers and studied by anthropologists. Toraja
society since the 1990's experienced a cultural transformation from an
agrarian society and the traditional faiths, a predominantly Christian
society and rely on the tourism sector continues to increase.
Ethnic identity
Toraja tribe clearly have little idea about themselves as an ethnic group before the 20th century. Prior
to Dutch colonialism and the christianity, Toraja tribe, who live in
the highlands, was identified based on their village, and not assume the
same group. Although
the rituals create a relationship between the villages, there are a lot
of diversity in dialects, social hierarchy, and ritual practices in the
highlands of Sulawesi. "Toraja"
(from the coast to, which means people, and Riaja, plateau) was first
used as a designation for the resident population of lowland plateau. As
a result, at first "Toraja" more trade ties with outsiders, such as the
Bugis and Makassar tribe, who inhabit most of the lowlands in the
Sulawesi-than with fellow tribe in the highlands. Dutch
missionary presence in the highlands of Toraja ethnic consciousness
raises Sa'dan Toraja Toraja region, and this shared identity grew with
the rise of tourism in Tana Toraja. Since
then, South Sulawesi has four main ethnic groups-Bugis (the majority,
including shipbuilders and sailors), Makassar tribe (merchants and
sailors), the tribe Mandar (traders and fishermen), and the tribe Toraja
(growers in the highlands).
History
Gulf of Tonkin, located between northern Vietnam and southern China, believed to be the place of origin Toraja tribe. There has been a long acculturation between the Malay race in Sulawesi with Chinese immigrants. Initially, immigrants are living in coastal areas of Sulawesi, but eventually moved to the highlands.
Since
the 17th century, the Dutch began to trade and political power plugged
in Sulawesi through Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC). For
two centuries, they ignore the central highlands of Sulawesi (Toraja
tribe place of residence) because it is difficult to achieve and has
little productive land. At
the end of the 19th century, the Dutch began to worry about the rapid
spread of Islam in South Sulawesi, especially between Makassar and Bugis
tribes. Dutch view that embraces animist Toraja tribe as a potential target for Christianized. In
the 1920's, the mission of the spread of Christianity began to run with
the help of the colonial government .Selain spread the religion,
the Dutch also abolished slavery and local taxes apply. A line drawn around the region and called Tana Toraja Sa'dan. Tana
Toraja was originally a subdivision of the kingdom which claims the
territory Luwu In 1946, the Dutch gave regentschap status of Tana
Toraja, Indonesia and acknowledge it as a district in 1957.
Dutch
missionaries who had just come get strong opposition from the Toraja
tribe because of the elimination of lucrative trade routes
Toraja.Beberapa Toraja people have been moved to the lowlands by force
by the Netherlands to be more easily regulated. Tax set at a high level, with the aim of undermining the wealth of the elite society. Nevertheless, these efforts do not undermine Dutch Toraja culture, and few people Toraja who was a Christian. In 1950, only 10% of the Toraja people who turn to Christianity.
Muslim population in the lowlands invade Toraja in the 1930s. As
a result, many of the Toraja people who want an alliance with the Dutch
move to Christianity to gain political protection, and in order to form
a resistance movement against the Bugis and Makassar people who are
Muslims. Between
1951 and 1965 after the independence of Indonesia, South Sulawesi
experienced the carnage of the Darul Islam rebellion launched, which
aims to establish an Islamic state in Sulawesi. Guerrilla war that lasted for 15 years is contributing to more and more people move to Christianity Toraja.
In
1965, a presidential decree requires that the entire population of
Indonesia to adopt one of the five recognized religions: Islam,
Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The original trust Toraja (Aluk) is not legally recognized, and the Toraja tribe is trying to oppose the decree. To make Aluk accordance with the law, he must be accepted as part of one of the official religion. In 1969, Aluk To Dolo legalized as part of Hindu Dharma.
Community
1. Family
The family is the main political and social groups in the Toraja tribe. Each village is a large family. Each tongkonan have names that serve as the name of the village. Maintain the unity of the family joined the village. Marriage
with a distant cousin (fourth cousins and so on) is a common practice
that strengthens the relationship .Suku Toraja prohibits
marriage with a cousin near (up to third cousins) except for the
nobility, to prevent the spread of wealth. Kinship
takes place on a reciprocal basis, in the sense that large families
help each other in agriculture, share in the ritual buffalo, and each
paid the debt.
Each person becomes a member of the family of his mother and father. Children, therefore, inherited many things from her mother and father, including land and even the family debt. The child's name is given on the basis of kinship, and is usually chosen based on the name of relatives who have died. Name of aunts, uncles and cousins who are usually called in the name of mother, father and siblings.
Prior to the administration by a government official Tana Toraja district, each village to his own government. In
certain situations, when one family Toraja can not handle their own
problems, some desabiasanya form a group; sometimes, miraculous village
will be united against other villages The relationship between family
expressed by blood, marriage, and shared ancestral home (tongkonan), practically characterized by the exchange of water buffalo and pigs in the ritual. The
exchange is not only political and cultural relationships between
families but also puts each person in the social hierarchy: who poured
the wine, who wrapped the body and prepare offerings, where every person
should or should not sit, what to use plates or avoided, and even pieces of meat that is allowed for each person.
2. Social Class
In Toraja society early, close family relationships related to social class. There
are three levels of social classes: nobility, common people, and slaves
(slavery was abolished in 1909 by the Dutch Government). Passed down through the mother's social class. It
is forbidden to marry a woman from a lower class but are allowed to
marry women from the more high-class, aims to improve the status of the
next descent. Condescension of Lords against the commoners still maintained until now due to family reasons dignity.
The
nobility, which is believed to be descended from heaven, lived in
tongkonan, while the common people lived in more modest houses (bamboo
huts called banua). Slaves lived in small huts built near tongkonan property of their masters. Commoners may marry anyone but the nobility usually perform marriages in the family to maintain the purity of their status. Commoners and slaves forbidden to hold a celebration of death. Though
based on kinship and descent status, there are also some social
movement that can affect a person's status, such as marriage or the
change in the amount of wealth. Wealth is calculated based on the number of buffalo owned.
Slaves in Toraja society is family-owned property. Sometimes people become slaves because of Toraja in debt and pay it in a way become a slave. Slaves could be taken during the war, and the slave trade was common. Slaves could buy their freedom, but their children still inherited slave status. Slaves are not allowed to wear bronze or gold, eating from the same plate with their masters, or having sex with free women. The penalty for violation of the death penalty.
Religion
Traditional belief systems Toraja tribe is called animism Aluk polytheistic, or "road" (sometimes translated as "law"). In
the mythical Toraja, the Toraja ancestors came from heaven by a ladder
which is then used by the Toraja tribe as a way of relating to Puang
Matua, the creator god. The
universe, according to Aluk, divided into upper world (Heaven) the
human world (earth), and the world bawah.Pada beginning, heaven and
earth to get married and produce darkness, separation, and then came the
light. Animals
living in the underworld who is represented by a rectangular bounded by
four pillars, the earth is a place for humanity, and heaven is located
on top, covered with a roof berbetuk saddle. Toraja
other gods is in Chain of Banggai Pong (the god of the earth), Indo
'Ongon-Ongon (goddess of earthquakes), Pong Lalondong (god of death),
Indo' Belo tumbles (goddess of treatment), and others.
Power
on earth that the words and actions must be held either in agriculture
or in the life of the funeral ceremony, referred to minaa (a pastor
Aluk). Aluk not just a belief system, but also a combination of law, religion, and habits. Aluk regulate social life, agricultural practices, and religious rituals. Aluk ordinances can vary from one village to another village. The common law rule that the rituals of death and life should be separated. Toraja
tribe believes that the rituals of death will destroy the body if the
implementation is combined with ritual ritual kehidupan.Kedua is equally
important. When
there is a missionary from the Netherlands, the Christian Toraja are
not allowed to attend or perform rituals of life, but allowed to perform
the ritual of death. As a result, death rituals are often performed to date, but the ritual has begun life rarely implemented.
Culture
Tongkonan are traditional Toraja house that stood on a pile of wood and decorated with carved red, black, and yellow. The word "tongkonan" is derived from the Toraja language tongkon ("sitting").
Tongkonan is the center of social life Toraja tribe. Rituals
associated with tongkonan very important in the spiritual life of
Toraja tribe therefore all family members are required to participate
because Tongkonan melambangan their relationship with their fathers. According to folklore Toraja, tongkonan first constructed in heaven with four poles. When the ancestors of the Toraja tribe down to earth, he imitated the house and held a large ceremony.
Tongkonan development is a tiring job and is usually done with the help of a large family. There are three types of tongkonan. Tongkonan layuk is where the supreme power, which is used as the central "government". Tongkonan
pekamberan belongs to a family member who has a certain authority in
the local customs and traditions while family members used to live in
tongkonan stone. Exclusiveness
of the nobility of tongkonan decreases the number of ordinary people
who seek gainful employment in other areas in Indonesia. Having earned enough money, ordinary people were able to build large tongkonan.
Woodcut
Toraja
language is only spoken and not have a system tulisan.Untuk show kosep
religious and social, ethnic Toraja wood carving and making calls
Pa'ssura (or "posts"). Therefore, wood carving is a manifestation of Toraja culture.
Every carving has a special name. His
motives are animals and plants usually symbolizing virtue, for example,
water plants like water weeds and animals such as crabs and tadpoles
which symbolizes fertility. Picture left shows an example of Toraja wood carving, consisting of 15 square panels. Under the middle panel represents the buffalo, or wealth, as the hope for a family get a lot of buffalo. Middle
panels represent the vertices and boxes, an expectation that all
descendants of the family will be happy and live in peace, as the goods
are stored in a box. Box
upper left and upper right symbolize aquatic animals, suggesting the
need to move quickly and work hard, like an animal that moves on the
water surface. It is also pointed out the need for specific expertise to produce good results.
Regularity
and order is a common feature in Toraja wood carving (see table design
below), in addition Toraja wood carving too abstract and geometric. Nature
is often used as the basis of the ornament Toraja, because nature is
full of abstraction and geometry are studied in ethnomatematika
teratur.Ornamen Toraja with the aim of uncovering the structure of
mathematics although Toraja tribe made this engraving based solely on
their own estimates. Toraja tribes use bamboo to make oranamen geometric.
Funeral Ceremony
In Toraja society, funeral rituals are the most important and costly. The more wealthy and powerful person, the funeral expenses will be more expensive. In religion Aluk, only royal families are entitled to hold a big funeral party. Feast of the funeral of a nobleman is usually attended by thousands of people and lasted for several days. A
place called rante funeral procession is usually prepared in a broad
meadow, other than as a place of mourners in attendance, as well as a
granary, and a variety of other funeral devices made by the family of
the deceased. Flute
music, singing, songs and poems, weeping and wailing is an expression
of grief by the Toraja tribe but all it does not apply to funerals of
children, the poor, and low class people.
This
funeral was held just sometimes after weeks, months, even years since
the death in question, with the goal of keeping the family left behind
to collect enough money to cover funeral expenses. Toraja
tribe believes that death is not something that comes with a sudden but
a gradual process toward Puya (the spirit world, or the afterlife). In that waiting period, the corpse is wrapped with a few pieces of cloth and kept under tongkonan. Spirits of the dead believed to remain in the village until the funeral is completed, after which the soul will travel to Puya.
Another part of the cemetery is the buffalo slaughter. The more powerful person, the more buffalo are slaughtered. Slaughtering is done by using a machete. Buffalo carcass, including head, lined up on the field, waiting for its owner, who is in "sleep time". Toraja
tribe believed that the spirits need a water buffalo to perform the
journey and will be faster until at Puya if there is a lot of buffalo. Slaughter
of tens of hundreds of buffalo and pigs is the culmination lacks the
funeral music and dance that captured the youth spurting blood with a
long bamboo. Some meat was given to the guests and noted that it would be considered a debt to the family of the deceased.
There are three ways a funeral: Coffins can be stored in the cave, or at the tomb of carved stone, or hung on the cliffs. Rich people are sometimes buried in a tomb carved stone. The tomb is usually expensive and time of manufacture about a few months.
In some areas, the rock caves used to save the body of the entire family. Wooden statue called tau tau is usually placed in the cave and facing outward.
The coffin infant or child with a rope hanging on the cliff side. Ropes are usually survive for a year before making his casket rot and fall.
Music and Dance
Toraja tribe perform a dance on several occasions, mostly in burial ceremonies. They
dance to show his grief, and to honor the spirits of the deceased as
well as encourage the spirits will lead the long journey to the
afterlife. First
of all, a group of men formed a circle and sang all night to honor the
deceased (terseebut ritual called Ma'badong). Ritual is considered the
most important component of the second day of the funeral ceremony
pemakaman.Pada, warrior dance Ma'randing shown to commend the courage of
the deceased during his lifetime. Some men perform a dance with a sword, prisai of buffalo leather, buffalo horn helmets, and various other ornaments. Ma'randing dance procession started when the corpse was taken from the granary to rante, where the funeral service. During the ceremony, the adult females do Ma'katia dance, singing and wearing a feathered costume dress. Ma'akatia dance aims to remind the audience on the generosity and loyalty of the deceased. After the slaughter of buffalo and pigs, a group of boys and girls perform a dance while clapping cheerfully called Ma'dondan.
As in other agrarian societies, Toraja tribe sang and danced during the harvest season. Ma'bugi
dance performed to celebrate Thanksgiving Day and dances Ma'gandangi
displayed when interest Toraja was pounding rice There are some dances
of war, for example Manimbong dances performed by men and then followed
by a dance Ma'dandan by women. Religion Aluk regulate when and how the Toraja tribe dance. A dance called Ma'bua 12 years can only be done once. Toraja ceremony Ma'bua is important when wearing religious head of buffalo and danced around the sacred tree.
Toraja traditional musical instrument is a bamboo flute called Pa'suling. Six
hole flute is played at many dances, such as on the dance Ma'bondensan,
when the instrument is played with a group of men who dance with no
shirt and long finger nails. Toraja
tribe also has other musical instruments, for example Pa'pelle made
from palm leaves and played at harvest time and when the opening
ceremony of the house.
Language
Toraja language is the dominant language in Tana Toraja, the Toraja Sa'dan as the main dialect. Indonesian
as the national language is the official language and is used by the
public, but the Toraja language was taught in all primary schools in
Tana Toraja.
Variety
of language in Toraja, among others Kalumpang, Mamasa, Tae ', Talondo',
Toala ', and Toraja-Sa'dan, and included in the Malayo-Polynesian
language family of Austronesian languages. At first, the nature of Tana Toraja geographically isolated form the many dialects of the language's own Toraja. After
a government official in Tana Toraja, Toraja several dialects became
influenced by other languages through the process of transmigration,
which was introduced since the colonial period. It is the main cause of diversity in Toraja.
Diversity in Toraja
| Denominasi | ISO 639-3 | POPULATION | Dialect |
|---|
| Kalumpang | kli | 12,000 (1991) | Karataun, Mablei, Mangki (E'da), Bone Hau (Ta'da). |
| Mamasa | mqj | 100,000 (1991) | Mamasa Utara, Mamasa tengah, Pattae' (Mamasa Selatan, Patta' Binuang, Binuang, Tae', Binuang-Paki-Batetanga-Anteapi) |
| Ta'e | rob | 250,000 (1992) | Rongkong, Luwu Timur Laut, Luwu Selatan, Bua. |
| Talondo' | tln | 500 (1986) |
|
| Toala' | tlz | 30,000 (1983) | Toala', Palili'. |
| Torajan-Sa'dan | sda | 500,000 (1990) | Makale (Tallulembangna), Rantepao (Kesu'), Toraja Barat (Toraja Barat, Mappa-Pana). |
Prominent features in the Toraja language is the notion of mourning death. The
importance of funeral ceremony in Toraja have made their language can
express feelings of grief and mourning process in several levels of
rumit.Bahasa Toraja has many terms to show sadness, longing, depression,
and mental distress. It
is a catharsis for the Toraja if it can clearly show the influence of
events lost someone; it sometimes also aimed to reduce the suffering of
grief itself.
Economy
Before
the New Order period, Toraja economy dependent on agriculture with the
terracing on the slopes of the mountain and its supporting food is
cassava and maize. Much
time and effort spent Toraja tribe to breed buffaloes, pigs, and
chickens are needed primarily for ritual sacrifice and as makanan.Kopi
Toraja. The only industry is agriculture in the Toraja coffee factory of Japan,
With the start of the New Order in 1965, Indonesia's economy began to grow and opening up to foreign investment. Many multinational oil and mining companies to open new businesses in Indonesia. Toraja society, especially the younger generation, many who move to work in foreign companies. They went to Borneo to the wood and oil, to Papua to mine, and to cities in Sulawesi and Java. This transfer occurred until 1985.
Toraja economy is gradually turning to tourism began in 1984. Between 1984 and 1997, Toraja people earn income by working in a hotel, a tour guide, or sell souvenirs. The
emergence of political and economic instability Indonesia in the late
1990s (including a variety of religious conflict in Sulawesi) has caused
tourism to decline drastically Toraja.
