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The Tau Tau of the Toraja Tana

The Toraja live in the mountainous southern region of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. There is a belief in Toraja that when you die you won't be separated directly from the family - you are expected to bring them good luck and so the family must respect you. When we think of our ancestors, we respect them as individuals, rather than as a group.

The most important ceremony in a person's life cycle is the funeral. For this reason, there is often a lengthy interval between a person's death and their burial. Time is needed to ensure that all family members can attend and to save money to buy buffalo. In some cases, the deceased may be kept in the house for years.

The first part of the funeral festival takes place in the tongkonan (a traditional longhouse built on poles) and is not open to visitors. When a person has died their body is cleansed, the intestines are emptied and the corpse injected with formaline. The body is neatly dressed, wrapped in drapes and covered by expensive tissues. The mourners recite elegies and prayers and bring the deceased with their head turned to the west into the tongkonan. In this period they do not speak of the ‘deceased’ but of the ‘sick’. In the past, the body would be laid on a mat in a special room, with bamboo pipes under the floor to catch and divert body fluids.

Death is a gradual process rather than an abrupt event. The deceased is referred to as to mamma (sleeping person) or to masaki (sick person) until the commencement of funeral rites when they are called to membali puang (person who has become one of the gods) or to mate (dead person).


Tau Tau

Wooden human figures called tau tau accompany the deceased on their journey from the funeral house to the burial ground, where they watch over both the living and the dead. Once carved only for wealthy families, they are now status symbols used by a range of families.

Prior to the 17th century, Torajans were buried in elaborate, boat-shaped wooden coffins stored at the base of cliffs. After heirlooms were extensively plundered, Torajans began burying their dead in high cliff-face vaults.

For the second part of the festival,the relatives start building festival stands for their guests and figure out how many buffalo and pigs will be sacrificed, how many people will be invited, how many dancers and servants will attend the festival and so on. When the second part begins the deceased is placed in the central compartment of the tongkonan with their head turned to the south. From this moment on they are considered actually dead, officially ‘deceased’. Women start an elegy and men butcher a buffalo in the courtyard. The following day the visitors arrive, sometimes thousands of them: members of the family, friends, acquaintances, officials. They bring gifts of livestock, firewood, palm wine and money. The most important visitors are offered sirih by eight or twelve girls in traditional dress carrying a golden knife or kris and a kandaure or bead adornment. At the end of the first day it is time for buffalo and cock fights. The next day the deceased is ‘aroused’, a ritual which resumes the festival: a priest sings funeral songs and members of the family lament. The corpse is taken to the floor underneath a rice store in front of the the tau-tau. Then it is placed on a stretcher and a procession starts to move towards the festival ground. On arrival the sacrificial buffalo (sometimes more than fifty!) are shown to the guests and then butchered. Thereafter the deceased is transported to a tomb in the rocks next to his ancestors. The position of the tomb depends on the status of the deceased in his lifetime. The tau-tau

is placed near the other wooden statues of the family in the rocks. From this moment on the deceased will guard his descendants.

Tyson and Sabastian-My belove cat for 18.5 years

I am so sorry Sabastian that I have to put you down on Saturday April 28th 2007 @ 5:00pm. You have been sick for awhile now ;it is one of the hardest decisions I have to do. The handing over is the worst. I know it is not your time to go but you were just skin and bones. I cannot see you suffer anymore. I have you and your brother Tyson since your guys were a baby. Now you guys were united once again in your own little world in kitty heaven. Tyson I missed you too. When you left us 5 years ago, I should have put you to sleep. I am so sorry. I missed your half meow and your left paw when you want something. I remember your last walk around the garden you and Sabatian hung out by Teesdale and your last meow.Happy hunting my beloved black and white cat For you Sabastian I remember you as a shy black cat and grew up to be a beautiful trusting and loving cat- you were more like a dog always following me around and with the loudest meow. You look like a small panther. You and Tyson never gave me any problems. You guys will always be a part of my memory and life forever . Now that you guys have return to Kitty heaven go hunting my friend. Sebastian , your daddy pretty much said it all but you have to know I have been so depressed since you have been gone it has been awful I am so sad when you lifted up your little head and looked around like 'what are you doing' I started crying we didn't want you to go I hope we did the right thing you were very sick and we didn't want you to suffer. Please forgive us baby we loved you soooooo much and miss you sitting in your chair outside and your loud little mouth. Tyson must be happy he has been away for so long and now you are both together. We love you Sebastian and Tyson please talk to us once in awhile ok? We are very lonesome without you, Daddy, Mommy, Dakota and Buddha. By the way Dakota and Buddha miss teasing you now they don't have anything to do so they just lay around outside wondering where you are. Bye my baby Sebastian. We will talk more later!! From Me, Mommy, Dakota and Buddha



If it be I grow frail and weak,
And pain should wake me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle can’t be won.

You will be sad, I’ll understand,
Don’t let your grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest,
Your love and friendship stand the test.

We’ve had so many happy years,
What is to come will hold no fears,
You’ll not want me to suffer, so,
When the time comes, please let me go.

I know in time, you too will see,
It is a kindness you do me,
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering, I’ve been saved.

Do not grieve that it should be you,
Who has to decide this thing to do
We’ve been so close, we two, these years,
Don’t let your heart hold any tears.


Author Unknown

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Here is my latest picture of my belove babies. My dogs and cat pictures- Sabastian,Dakota,Buddhajan07">. The yellow one lab is Dakota, the mix black lab is Buddha and the cat is Sabastian who is 18 and a half. I found this site recently http://xfleas.com for your dogs and cats flea medicine.

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