Real Indonesia: Sulawesi by Michaela K.

You want to experience „real“ Indonesia? Test your Bahasa skills? You are really into the death & graveyard culture? Or simply want to have some “familiar German nature” around you and a night in cooler temperatures? – Then the Toraja region in Sulawesi is the place you want to go!

The region on the third biggest island is especially famous for their unique architecture and their celebration of the dead. Being there for 3 or 4 days, the chance to catch a funeral ceremony is quite huge – absolutely recommendable! It is nothing like you have ever seen before - 1 week of people, celebration, buffalo fights, cock fights food and people that are so excited to meet someone like you. Also be prepared to take a bunch of pictures with them and then try to communicate (literally) with hands and feet!

The buffalo fight was the most exciting event on calm and relaxed island for me. The winning buffalo is bought by the grieving family and later on slaughtered and feasted together. During the fight, in the middle of the little village, it might happen that a buffalo accidentally touches a house column – what an excitement for the crowd! 

 

I learned on my trip through the Toraja region in Sulawesi that the dead loved-ones are more worth than the living ones. They spend a fortune on the ceremony, and later on the hanging grave, cave grave, tree grave (for babies) or an ancient grave.

If you plan to go there, make sure to catch a funeral ceremony – this is in my opinion the main reason for going. It is unique, so different than to our culture and unforgettable!

Make sure to book your trip with an agency – traveling there alone is quite different to Bali (Agencies are easy to find via internet).The best way to fly is to Makassar - the capital - with Lion Air (flight at 6 p.m.) and then take a 8 hour night bus into central Sulawesi. The tickets can be booked easily one week before at the Denpasar airport.


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