The burial caves and baby tree of Tana Toraja
After attending the funeral ceremony, we carried on to the burial cliffs, caves and trees. We arrived first at the cliffs and there were no other people in sight. There are some older Tongkonans (traditional ancestral houses) near the entrance, their roofs covered in moss and plants. Tongkonans are of a very unique design with …
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The funeral rites of Tana Toraja, a dying culture
WARNING Due to the nature of the funeral rites of the Torajan people (such as animal sacrifice) this article may disturb some readers. Contains graphic descriptions and photographs. After settling in, I met a local guide named Johannes. We had a chat and Johannes offered to take me on an all day tour and after …
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Lost in translation – Finding my way to Tana Toraja, Sulawesi (Indonesia)
In all honesty, I did not like Makassar at all and was reluctant to go out and explore. Even though I made an effort (as I had done in most of Indonesia) to cover myself up, wearing long trousers and a scarf wrapped around my shoulders and chest, men stared and shouted at me. I …
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Lost in translation – Kidnapping scare/ misunderstanding in Makassar (Sulawesi)
I left Lombok after managing to miss my original flight (which I had booked for the wrong date), and since I couldn’t get the website in English I just decided to try my luck at the airport. I did eventually (after hours of waiting and being pointed to go around the airport in circles) manage …
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The Gypsy Heart Travels 