Indonesia, Sulawesi, to the tau tau Lemo, August 2009
Tana Toraja is a region of the island of Sulawesi. The classic tour of Indonesia does not cover. They usually visit Java, Bali, Lombok and little more. But Sulawesi island is very special and worth all the trouble to reach it and turn it. After a short stay in Makassar (now Ujung Padang) we went by bus to Rantepao. When we arrived there was a man waiting for us. Luter and had introduced himself as a guide. Now, to be honest, we are not accustomed to lead us by the guides, but here, find Luter was a stroke of luck without him we could have done even half of what we did. And so we meet there the next morning to begin our tour of the region. The first goal is
Lemo. A smooth wall and vertical rises in the middle of a potato field. On that rock, so high, opening a small hole, closed by wooden doors. These are the tombs of the Toraja. Were built beside the "balconies" which overlook the statues of wood, the Tau Tau. The Toraja were animists (now Christians are Protestants) and redevano that after life, there would be another, in which the deceased would have had the same needs they had in life: food, beverages, clothing, cigarettes. For this reason, relatives, having buried the dead, make a representation in wood, the Tau Tau, which looks at the tomb. At the Tau Tau are offered food, water, the beloved cigarettes are changed clothes when they tear per le intemperie. E il tau Tau con una mano tesa, benedice i parenti, mentre con l'altra messa in posa di richiesta, accoglie le loro offerte.
Indonesia, Sulawesi, i tau tau di Lemo, agosto 2009
Le tombe sono scolpite nella roccia ed accolgono tutta la famiglia. Occorre molto denaro per ricavarle dalla pietra, scavata a mano, e molto tempo. Più la famiglia è ricca e di alta casta, più la tomba è posta in alto. Questa è anche una garanzie contro i ladri, per la difficoltà di raggiungere le sepolture.
Il defunto viene accompagnato nella sepoltura da una grande festa. E' solo con questa festa che lo spirito del morto lascerà il corpo e la family. The ceremony is very important but very expensive. For this reason mrte of a family member to the family requires an enormous effort econimico. And 'why, until the family has put aside the money needed, the body of the deceased will remain in the house. The body itself will be treated with oil or natural substances, but now mostly with formaldehyde, mummified, and so will wait until the time of burial, through a time when there still will be considered dead, because the spirit is still at home. They may spend years, sometimes dozens, before the family has enough money for burial. It is thanks to our guide that there is stato possibile vedere due cerimonie. La prima, una grande cerimonia al secondo giorno in cui i familiari ricevono ospiti e parenti di tutti i villaggi e poi un'altra grande cerimonia al momento della sepoltura vera e propria. Soprattutto questa fase è stata veramente impressionante. Persino Luter non ne vedeva così da tempo. Ma per queste cose, e molte altre... al prossimo post!
Indonesia, Sulawesi, i tau tau di Lemo, agosto 2009
