Toraja

E79047

The Toraja are an indigenous ethnic group of the mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, distinctive tongkonan houses, and intricate wood carvings.

Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form Occurrences
Toraja culture 1
Toraja highlands 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ethnic group
indigenous people
architectureStyle saddleback-roof houses
artForm textile weaving
wood carving
colonialHistory brought under Dutch colonial rule in early 20th century
country Indonesia
culturalHeritageStatus known internationally for unique mortuary culture
economy coffee cultivation
tourism
wet-rice agriculture
ethnicGroupOf Celebes
surface form: Sulawesi
ethnonymOrigin derived from Bugis phrase to riaja meaning people of the uplands
famousFor cliff burial sites
elaborate funeral rites
intricate wood carvings
tau-tau effigies
tongkonan houses
funeralRitual Rambu Solo'
harvestCeremony Rambu Tuka'
language Toraja-Saʼdan language
surface form: Toraja languages
languageFamily Austronesian languages
locatedIn South Sulawesi
Celebes
surface form: Sulawesi

mountainous region
mainRegion North Toraja Regency
Tana Toraja Regency
populationRegion concentrated in highlands of South Sulawesi
recognizedAs agama oleh kepercayaan (belief system) in Indonesia
religion Aluk To Dolo
Christianity
Islam
religiousChange large-scale conversion to Christianity in 20th century
roofSymbolism buffalo horns
socialClass commoners
former slaves
nobility
socialStructure stratified society
touristAttraction Kete Kesu traditional village
Lemo cliff graves
Londa burial caves
traditionalBeliefSystem Aluk To Dolo
traditionalHouse tongkonan
traditionalLivestock pigs
water buffalo
traditionalMotif buffalo motifs
geometric patterns
rooster motifs

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Celebes ethnicGroup Toraja
Makassar isGatewayTo Toraja
this entity surface form: Toraja highlands
South Sulawesi knownFor Toraja
this entity surface form: Toraja culture