Life After Death at Bululangkan
Tana Toraja is known to be very familiar with death, an animist tradition that survives until today. One custom that is still upheld is ma’nene, a pilgrimage to the grave, where they clean up the area and change the clothes of the dead. Last September, Irmawati from Tempo had the opportunity to take part in the aluk todolo (the ancestor’s tradition) at Bululangkang village in North Toraja regency, South Sulawesi.
October 13, 2009
DOZENS of coffins of various age were lined up in front of each patene or family grave house.
After three years these coffins are taken out. Their conditions vary. Some are plain, some are sculpted with typical Toraja carvings. Some of the corpses in the coffins are still neatly wrapped, others are dirty and full of dust. The names written on the cloths are illegible.
Next to these coffins, was a wrapped corpse with no coffin. It was the size o
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