TORAJA HOUSES

You'll see them everywhere in"Tana Toraja", Toraja country, in South Sulawesi, all around Rantepao and the surrounding area. Unquestionably the region's main attraction, alongside the unique funeral ceremonies, these splendid monuments of carpentry and pegwork, built on stilts, the original Toraja family homes also known as Tongkonan in Toraja or Rumah adat in Indonesian, will never cease to impress you with their magnificence.

These all-wooden buildings, varying in size according to the prestige of the family, are rectangular in shape and topped with a breathtaking double-pitched roof. The roofs were originally the result of colossal interlocking bamboo sections. Nowadays, modernity, practicality and economic reasons are sadly driving more and more inhabitants to the use of sheet metal. Putting aside the lack of aesthetic appeal of these new practices, these roofs with their ridges reaching skywards at the ends, forming a gigantic "U", are nonetheless strikingly beautiful.

The significance of this architecture remains uncertain. According to some, the shape, reminiscent of an upturned ship's hull, is a tribute to the ships that brought the Toraja from China to these lands.

Others will tell you that they resemble buffalo horns. Given the importance of this animal in Toraja culture, this would be a much more logical explanation. But who knows? One thing is certain for the traveller from Sumatra: This architecture is undoubtedly reminiscent of Batak houses, although the latter are clearly far less impressive. The interior of the Tongkonan is divided into 3 sections: the one at the back is dedicated to the parents, the one on the right as you go up is for the children, with the common room in the middle, which used to have a cooking area. In front of the building is an esplanade sheltered from sun and rain. The roof overhang is supported by a large carved post to which are nailed the horns of buffaloes sacrificed during ceremonies. Sometimes you'll find dozens of them, symbols of the family's power and wealth.

The facades of the houses are engraved with geometric motifs and always painted with the four sacred colors: Red (blood and life), white (bones and purity), yellow (power and God's blessing) and black (death and darkness).