Toraja Language
The Torajan are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 1,100,000, of whom 450,000 live in the regency of Tana Toraja ("Land of Toraja"). Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as ''aluk'' ("the way"). The Indonesian government has recognised this animistic belief as ''Aluk To Dolo'' ("Way of the Ancestors") as well as ''Hindu Alukta'', namely, a form of Hinduism in Indonesia. The word ''Toraja'' comes from the Buginese language term ''to riaja'', meaning "people of the uplands", this cognates with the Toraja language ''to'' ''raya''/''to'' ''raja''/''to raa'' which also means "inland/upland people" or "northern people". The Dutch colonial government named the people ''Toraja'' in 1909. Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, burial sites carved into rocky cliffs, massive peaked-roof traditional houses known as ''tongkonan'', and c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |