Temporary houses are built for the guests, who live at the expense of the grieving family for as long as a week. During this period, the family holds feasts, prayer and chanting rituals, and entertainment such as cock fights and buffalo fights for the guests.
The centerpiece of the funeral is the sacrifice of buffalo. To reach puaya, or heaven, a person's soul must ride on the back of a buffalo, making these animals very sacred and important in Toraja.
The status of a family and the success of a funeral are determined by the number of buffalo sacrificed. Sixteen or so is the norm, but as many as 100 buffalo may be killed for the funeral of someone from a noble family.
A single buffalo costs between U.S. $500 and $3,500 at the local market—well over a year's income for many families. Buying the required buffalo for a funeral ceremony often occurs at the expense of basic family needs such as medicine, housing, and the children's education.
For centuries, the traditions of the Torajans existed mostly in isolation. But is change coming?
Modern transportation has made it possible for young Torajans to travel across the archipelago of Indonesia in search of jobs. More and more, Torajans head to Java and other urbanized islands to find work.
This new mobility and the exposure to the larger world that it brings has raised new questions. When young Torajans return home, many challenge the crippling financial burden their culture's lavish funeral ceremonies put on their families.
Whether the elaborate funerals will survive the disparagement of young, modern Torajans is in question. But whether the Torajan culture will survive at all without significant changes is just as uncertain.
Jennifer Hile is a freelance photojournalist and videographer based in Irvine, California. She recently traveled for six months in Borneo and Sulawesi.
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