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Toraja funeral rites, one of the most elaborate in the world

When documenting the funeral rites of Toraja, one will realize the whole processions are a trove of cultural wealth. Mortuary rites' details are varied across the regions and depending on the status of the deceased, the number of rites performed, and the length of the whole ceremony.

Here, we documented the rites for a deceased who had a high status (in his village). His rites would be divided as:

The photos below show some of the rites listed above. A detailed explanation of some of the processions would be given by our guide if participants chance upon a Toraja funeral during the tour and would like to witness this important moment in Toraja culture.

Once buffaloes are slaughtered in a mortuary rite, the organizer distributes the meats to visitors according to their ranks in the village. The details of this distribution vary according to locality.

Extracting meat from a sacrificed buffalo in a Toraja mortuary rite

People extract meat from a buffalo that was just slaughtered.

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