‘Rambu solo’ is  a very big event in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Because it takes days to celebrate it. The ceremony usually begins in the December at afternoon, when the sun goes to the west and it takes two to three days. Even it can up to two weeks for the nobility.

    The grave made in the top of the rocks. Because according to the trust of Aluk To Dolo (the people of Tana Toraja in the past, before the Christianity and Islam) among the people of Tana Toraja, the higher the place the dead body was placed, then the sooner their spirit goes to heaven.

this buffalo for the ceremony
    This ceremony for each class of society is different. When the nobleman who died, then the number of buffalo that will dedicate for the purposes of the event is much more than for those who are not royalty. To the noble family, the number of buffalo may range from 24 to 100 buffaloes. While the middle-class family are required to cut up 8 buffaloes plus 50 pigs and about 3 days long of the ceremony.
These pigs are for the ceremony 



    But before the amount was fulfilled, the dead body should not be buried in the top of the rocks. So often the bodies are kept for years in Tongkonan (Toraja traditional house) until finally their family can prepare a sacrificial animal. But for followers of Christianity and Islam today, the bodies can be buried in the ground first, then take it out again after their family prepared to get ready for the ceremony. They bring to the top of the rocks.





   
    For the people of Tana Toraja, the dead person is not regarded as real dead. For them before the ceremony come, then the dead person regarded as a sick person. Because the status is still sick, then the person who died had to take care and treated like people who are still alive. As with the dead person, they providing food, beverages and smoke or eating betel. The things that are done by the spirits must continue. They changing the dress for the dead body




I know it's kind of weird and scary, but these things are real. I went there when I was 10 years old. Only several people know about this ceremony. It takes a lot of money to prepared this ceremony. I was so impressed with this mysterious myth. My parents are all from Tana Toraja. They have more experience than this. With the fantastic view from the mountains, I’ll not forget this great memory. You should try to go there! 




for other interesting places in Indonesia visit this!
 official Indonesia government website: www.wonderfulindonesia.com