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Toraja: Funeral Ceremony [South Sulawesi, Indonesia]
The Toraja are an ethnic group living in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Most of the peope in Torja believe in animism called Aluk To Dolo (“Way of the Ancestors”), although most of the population nowadays have been converted into christian. Toraja people usually believe re-incarnation in their animistic religion. They believe that there is a life after the death and this new life is an eternal.
This is the field recordings from Toraja’s funeral ceremony called Rambu Solo. Although Toraja’s funeral ceremony has been well-known for their buffalo sacrifice, the ceremony is comprised of different small ceremonies such as Ma’Pasilaga(buffalo Fight), Ma’Palao(move the coffin to Sarigan and parading around the village), Mantarima tamu(welcoming guest), Ma’Ssanduk(pig sacrifice),Mantunu(buffalo Sacrifice) and Meaa(Funeral). Throughout these ceremonies, there are different songs, chants and music played by people who attend the ceremony.