The Big Family be said to be Tongkonan

The picture by Semicraft
First, I thought Tongkonan just a burden for life specially in Toraja but finally I understood how important its for family life. Tongkonan is the advanced of a family so a Tongkonan have higher level than a family. A family consist of father, mother and children that like human life in the world where usually stay or live in a house.
If their children get married and have a family so the main family will consist of a few new family. The main family will be a big family where in Toraja be said to be Tongkonan.
Tongkonan realised in a building that unique where the Tongkonan house architecture is learned from generation to generation, builded with standard construction that learned word of mouth but always keep in origin same like the culture in this land. The Tongkonan is a part of the culture at Toraja

Toraja On Google Maps

You can see The Toraja Highland in the Google map below. Please click the (+) button to get the detail maps.
Toraja be located on The Sulawesi Island, where is on the maps said Celebes (The Old Name).
The Celebes island be located between Celebes Sea in northern, The Moluccas Sea On the east, Makassar Strait on the west and Flores sea on in southern.
Toraja be located about in the center of this island.
If you get the places like Sangalla', Sesean, Rinding Allo, Makale or Rantepao, that means your position in the Region of Toraja.
Use the Google map feature to help you find the interesting places.
Good luck

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The Batavia Hotel

This is a hotel in Old Town Jakarta that said Batavia. Standing in side by Kali Besar River. This place is part of the Old Town, the Photographic place. If we try to walk in this region we'll find much photographer that try to get the best picture.
This place so lonely, caused by Jakarta's community opinion that this place almost like the ghost town.
But acctually to get most about Batavia/Jakarta story, we can find in this place. The side of the Kali Besar River is a good place to sit in every places where we'll surrounded by many artistic old building.

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Torajan Souvenir

Long time ago people can brought the souvenir from Toraja that made by Torajanesse. Same like in the others place the souvenirs made base on the uniqueness from the place. Toraja known by many things that difficult to forget. The creativity is development match with required from the human life. One example how the Toraja Arabica Coffee packed in Torajan Bamboo Carving or Torajan wood carving or that most recent is cell phone wallet.

The under souvenir made from bamboo and wood material in Toraja with carving same like the carving in Torajan Originally House, Tongkonan.The souvenir on sale in the tourism object, strategic place in Toraja like Makale and Rantepao. Moreover we still found in Hasanuddin Airport Makassar. Souvenir industries develop match with Torajan tourism industri.
The souvenirs can be combined with other souvenir from the others place in the world and can add the art of a room or a house.

The Calm Water Pond

I was standing in the edge of a pond with the calm water when wrote this note. This place is a shade where surrounded by beautiful views. The lake calm be found in Makale City.The Makale community old say this place "Limbong" that means little lake.

The lake surrounded by street where along the street found bank, school, church, post office and a few old building. We'll find a place to sit in the side by lake with. In the centre of the lake standing Pong Tiku monument. Pong Tiku is a hero from Toraja.

Still in this place we so easy to see the other panorama when we try change position view to the mountains around Makale City. We still find the same thing. The church, tongkonan and the hill that overgrown green plant.

The second place where I was standing shown a background Catholic Church Makale that across by street with Catholic High School where I graduated my high school.This is one of a few beautiful church that stand on Tana Toraja. In the south side shown a church in the side of the street.

My Mother's Family Tree

This my mother's family tree. So far from perfect. I need additional info from my big family.

LEMPANG married with LAI' LANDO and was born :

1. LANDO
2. SA'PANG
3. PAGALLUNGAN

LEMPANG from Tongkonan TO' PANGI in RORRE.
LAI' LANDO is family member of Tongkonan BATU in BUNGIN.
After married, they live in Tongkonan LOMBOK TO' BENGKEL in TONDOK IRING.

My grandfather was born from PAGALLUNGAN's lineage and my grandmother from LANDO's lineage.
So, I divide my mother's family tree in two part namely:

1. Grandfather's family tree.
2. Grandmother's family tree.


GRANDFATHER'S FAMILY TREE :

PAGALLUNGAN went to BUANG TANA and married with BANNE SUGI'. From their marriage born :

1. BITTI' PATASIK
2. SO' DOLI

My grandfather was born from BITTI' PATASIK lineage so I wanna write the BITTI' PATASIK family.
BITTI' PATASIK married with INDO' PALUNGAN in LOMBOK and born :

1. INDO' BOBONG
2. TURU' ALLO
3. SALLIKUNNA

My grandfather was born from SALLIKUNNA's lineage so I wanna write SALLIKUNNA's family.
BANNE (from BEBO') married with SALLIKUNNA and from their marriage was born :

1. INDO' BOBONG
2. NE' SO' DEN
3. SO' LOTO'
4. KU'SU'

SO' LOTO' and KU'SU' are adoption children. SO' LOTO' bought by BANNE in SARAMBU river bridge from foreign and I don't know about his story before.
My grandfather was born from INDO' BO'BONG' lineage so I wanna write INDO' BO'BONG's family.
KANGKANG from MANDETEK married with INDO' BO'BONG in LOMBOK and was born :

GONGGO'

GANDANG from BEBO' married with GONGGO' in LOMBOK and born :

1. GALUGU
2. NE' BUKKU'
3. PONG INDU'
4. NE' BU'TU
5. NE' PARE

My grandfather was born from GALUGU's lineage so I will write GALUGU's family.
GALUGU married with daughter of TUMBA' RERUNG in TA'PANG KILA' namely SURODADU and born :

1. SAMPE
2. LAI' SAMPE / INDO RANTE
3. BARUNG
4. SUMBUNG

BARUNG / NE' BARUNG is my grandfather.



GRANDMOTHER'S FAMILY TREE ( LAI' KENDEK)

My grandmother was born from LANDO's lineage, so I wanna writing the LANDO's Family.
LANDO went to Tongkonan BARANI and married with a family member there namely KU'RU'.
Later, they went to KONDONGAN and builded Tongkonan there.
LANDO married with KU'RU' and born :

1. TANG DILINO'
2. NE' TATTO'
3. TANDIRA'PAK
4. INDO' PALUNGAN
5. LONDA PADANG
6. PONG MASARRANG
7. TURU' PADANG
8. SINALA
9. KADAWANG

Point 8 and 9 were children adoption.
My grandmother was born from TURU'PADANG's lineage, so I wanna writing the TURU'PADANG's Family.
TURU'PADANG went to Tongkonan BANGKUDU and married with daughter of POTTANG namely LAI' PARE, were born :

1. PANGGAU
2. TUMBA' TURU'PADANG
3. RANTE BAI
4. BALUTTUN

My grandmother was born from BALUTTUN's lineage, so I wanna writing the BALUTTUN's Family.
BALUTTUN married with daughter of PALILI' namely LAI' KABOLO'. They live in Tongkonan ARAN SEBA. From their marriage born :

1. TUMBA' RANGGO'
2. SO' BALLO
3. LAI' BALLO
4. PAKAMBA


My grandmother was born from PAKAMBA's lineage, so I wanna writing the PAKAMBA's Family.
PAKAMBA married with daughter of TOPA' namely LAI' RU'BA in Tongkonan ALLA'. From their marriage born :

1. NE' GALEPPO'
2. NE' TANDO'
3. NE' GATTA
4. LAI' PADANG

TIKARA came and married with LAI' PADANG. They live in Tongkonan ARAN SEBA. From their marriage born :

1. NE' KANDE / LAI' KENDEK
2. NE' MINTO' / SO' MINTO'
3. NE' LENDONG / LAI' RU'BA
4. NE' TUMBO / TUMBO
5. NE' DUMA' / RENGGA'
6. NE' RAMMA' / LAI' SUNDUN
7. NE' BOY / LAI' SIANG
8. NE' REKEN / SO' REKEN

NE' KANDE / LAI' KENDEK is my grandmother.

NE' BARUNG LINEAGE

1. LEMPANG
2. PAGALLUNGAN
3. BITTI' PATASIK
4. SALLIKUNNA
5. INDO' BOBONG
6. GONGGO'
7. GALUGU
8. NE' BARUNG

NE' KANDE LINEAGE

1. LEMPANG
2. LANDO
3. TURU'PADANG
4. BALUTTUN
5. PAKAMBA
6. LAI' PADANG
7. NE' KANDE

NE' BARUNG married with NE' KANDE. They live in Tongkonan PA'TONDON. From their marriage born my mother.




Additional info :

BANNE SUGI''S FAMILY TREE
PATANTAN married with LAMBU'BU' in ARAN SEBA and born
1. RONGRE
2. TO' BARANA'
3. KATAMUK
4. NAMMU PARE
5. SEBO'

BANNE SUGI' was born from SEBO''s line generation so I write the SEBO''s family. KONDO from SANGALLA' married with SEBO' and was born
1. KUMOMBONG
2. ISSANG
3. TUANGIN
4. PATINTINGAN
5. KOTENG
BANNE SUGI' was born from KOTENG's generation line so I wanna write KOTENG's family. BONGGA from LEMO married with KOTENG in BUANG TANA and was born
1. LAI' LOTONG
2. LAI' TARUK LANGAN
3. BANNE SUGI'

BANNE SUGI' LINEAGE

1. PATANTAN
2. SEBO'
3. KOTENG
4. BANNE SUGI'

BANNE's (from BEBO') FAMILY TREE
KESO' from AWA' DARRA' married with TARUK LANGAN. They live in BANGKUDU TO' RIA and from their marriage was born :
1. KANNA SUGI'
2. TUMBA' BAU
3. MATTO'
MATTO' married with MEMAMUN from BEBO' and was born

BANNE

BANNE'S LINEAGE

1. PATANTAN
2. SEBO'
3. KOTENG
4. TARUK LANGAN
5. MATTO'
6. BANNE

LAI' RU'BA FAMILY TREE
PONG PABENDON from KANAN married with daughter of SA'PANG (NN) in LOMBOK TO BENGKEL and was born SIBARRUNG.
SIBARRUNG married with INDO' LA'BI and was born :
1. NE' SARUSSU'
2. TOPA'
3. LAI' TOPA'
4. NE' RO'REN
5. NE' BAAN
TOPA' married with INDO' RU'BA and was born

LAI' RU'BA.

LAI' RU'BA LINEAGE

1. SA'PANG
2. NN
3. SIBARRUNG
4. TOPA'
5. LAI' RU'BA

Gramedia Book Store

This is Matraman Gramedia Book Store. Place in Kramat Raya, the picture captured from Tegalan bus way shelter. We can come to this place by Kampung Melayu or Manggarai or Senen.
All of this building is the Gramedia Book Store. Consist of 4 floor with many kind of book. Include computer like note book, many kind music instrument, office tools, travel bag and many others.
Gramedia is a book store with big network.

You will get the best service from Gramedia employee here. The Gramedia book store just not exist here and we can get it in other places or other city but The Matraman Book store is the biggest store from all of Gramedia Book Store

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Musical Instruments from Bamboo in Toraja

Bamboo is a kind of plant that growth fertile in Toraja from many kind species. No difficult to find the plant here. Bamboo is multifunction in Torajanesse life. Bamboo used to cooking, make pa'piong, roof material and many others. Moreover in Toraja we know about Bamboo Music.

A Bamboo Music group consists of flute player dan bamboo music player. One of the bamboo function is for music instrument. Said Bamboo Music. The music played by children and adult. In common school or sundays school.

Making this musical instrument need diligence and patient. Caused by the tone of the music depend on the big or long of the bamboo. The music accompany by flute and sometime singer.
We can see the Bamboo Music concert in Indonesian Day by common school children and in Christmas Day by Sunday school children. We can see out of these time in hotels in Toraja specially for tourist.
The Bamboo Music players just not making the bamboo plant dancing on mountain by wind gust in Toraja but also making the bamboo can singing.

Torajan Style Cuisine

About culinary in Toraja, we'll also find the uniqueness although actually we'll find several equations with others places culinary in Indonesia. I mean pa'piong and how to make it ?. Making pa'piong with set on fire in bamboo.

Cooking in bamboo, we can also find in others places like in North and Middle of Sulawesi, West Sumatra and may be in out of the places. But I want to tell you about how Torajanesse cooking using bamboo as container for cooking.
Cutting meat and mixer with many kind of spices. The main matter is meat and the second is vegetable.

The vegetables is Coleus blumei (Indonesia :mayana, Toraja : Bulu nangko). This vegetables at most used in cooking pa'piong with compressed Colous blumei after mix with all of spices. One bar of pa'piong will contain much coleus blumai that means this is health culinary.
Many species of Coleus blumei can grow thriving in Toraja although Torajanesse not make cultivation of these species. These species can grow in wherever land moreover until to the land of mountains stone.


Mixture with meat, coleus blumei, spices in bamboo will emit fragrance after fired and sure tasty and delicious.

Makale Rantepao

Rantepao (the first picture) and Makale (the second picture) are biggest cities in Toraja. First, Toraja just one regency where Makale was government center city and Rantepao was trade city.

Toraja had divided in two government regency namely Tana Toraja and Toraja Utara. Tana Toraja (Tator) is south part and Toraja Utara (Torut) is north part.

Makale is capital city of Tator and Rantepao is capital city of Torut. Makale and Rantepao connected by a main street, where no difficult to find public transportation here.

The land along this street is the first class location in Toraja. The first facilities placed in the side of the street. Like government office, banks, hotels,hospital, mini market, school and others.
Almost all of place in Toraja reffering to the both city and the connecting road. So, not difficult to trip in the region.
Around the street we'll find tourism object like Ke'te' Kesu', Londa, Buntang and we also can get the souvenir in Rantepao where along the street we'll see the beautiful panorama.

Stone Mountains in Toraja

Toraja region consist of stone mountain, hill, garden, village, traditional market, little cities and the others land.

Enter to Toraja by bus along the street we'll trace hill in Mengkendek, south part of Toraja. In the right and left side we'll see the the stone mountains until down to Makale city where also protected by the stone mountain.
What's interesting there is we'll see the grave stone. So far and so high Torajanesse burial their family. Make hole on the stone wall or use the natural hole. Majority of them be laid to rest in 'liang' and 'patani'.
Liang is the grave hole and patani is like the mini house to put body . On one liang or patani consist one big family.
Torajanesse acknowledge that the mountain like the high wall that protect from enemy in the past. Moreover there a Torajan song, Sarira Parerung. Sarira is a name of a mountain that stand like a wall. Parerung in Torajan language means make an object hide. One side hide to other side.

Tominaa

What is Tominaa ?
Tominaa is a minister of origin religion in Toraja. Before modern religion enter to Tana Toraja, in this highland exist Aluk To Dolo religion. In verbal way Aluk To Dolo means The First Religion ( My Private Opinion).
For long time ago Aluk To Dolo has a religion in Toraja until now and Tominaa is minister of Aluk To Dolo religion. Just not known of Aluk To Dolo followers but also known by all of community.
Why ?
Caused by Tominaa is a predicate that really trusted have deep knowledge about Toraja language.
When I was still a little boy, I thought that Tominaa was a literary man, but actually Tominaa is minister, priest of Aluk To Dolo religion.
Tominaa role important in continue Torajan Language caused by until now no one university opening studiy program of the language.

Rambu Solo'

My office friends asked me about burial party in Toraja. Why I said as party ? I mean before burial in Toraja organized a party that Torajanesse said Rambu Solo'.

Rambu Solo' is a tradition in Toraja that organized with slaughtering pig and buffalo until hundreds. Party organized from two days until seven days. Where the big family will provide food and every one can come to the party.
Rambu Solo' managed with really professional based on rule of culture, organized in a wide land, consists of temporary building that said lantang, where the material of lantang majority consists of bamboo. The bamboo tree very much can growth in Toarajaland.
The number of lantang depend on the number of child of the ceased with common lantang that said lantang karampoan, as the first place where guest.
After that, the guess will be move one of the lantang suitable with they destination. They come to pay their respects to family of decease while bring pig and buffalo for the party.

Tongkonan

What is Tongkonan ? Tongkonan is a house but just not about house. Tongkonan just not about home, but Tongkonan means a big family in Torajanesse. Tongkonan built by member of a family, consists of Father, Mother, Child, grand child and ....
Tongkonan also as house culture of Toraja. All the material of Tongkonan building consists of wood. Roof from bamboo and others part of wood that also got from Toraja nature.
Build a Tongkonan must to follow the rule of the culture in Toraja. Tongkonan must be lengthwise direction from north to south. I don't know what the reason but with the position like that make the house get ray from the sunrise and sunset.

Dialek Toraja ? Why not ?

Pandangan negatif tentang dialek Toraja sungguh sebuah kekeliruan. Sering dijadikan bahan ketawaan, sering dianggap kolot dan bahkan sering pula dianggap kampungan dan terbelakang.
Dialek sebuah daerah sendiri muncul dari keberadaan sebuah bahasa yang dipakai dalam sebuah wilayah tertentu.
Pada saat seorang memakai sebuah bahasa yang lain dari bahasa yang sering dipakainya maka unsur bahasa yang dia sudah sering gunakan akan terbawa walapun dia sudah secara penuh menggunakan bahasa yang baru tersebut.
Jika seseorang sering menggunakan bahasa Toraja maka pada saat dia masuk ke sebuah lingkungan yang memaksanya untuk berbahasa Indonesia misalnya, maka unsur bahasa Toraja itu akan terbawa dalam setiap kata yang diucapkannya. Hal yang sama juga akan terjadi pada setiap pemakai bahasa daerah lainnya dan akan perlahan-lahan menghilang untuk jangka waktu tertentu bahkan mungkin tidak bisa menghilang lagi.
Sebuah hal yang wajar dan sekaligus sebagai bukti bahwa pengguna bahasa Toraja itu masih eksis. Dialek ibarat asap dan bahasa adalah apinya. Kalau ada asap berarti ada apinya.
Kelestarian akan bahasa dan sastra Toraja pun cukup mengkuatirkan karena semakin berkurangnya pemakai bahasa tersebut oleh generasi-generasi baru dan semakin meningkatnya interaksi antara masyarakat Toraja dengan daerah lainnya.
Memang sebuah hal yang tidak bisa dihindari sebagaimana juga terjadi di tempat-tempat lain. Dan kita juga tidak bisa memaksakan sebuah kehendak untuk menggunakan bahasa Toraja.
Satu hal yang harus kita sadari bahwa bahasa adalah bagian yang sangat penting dari sebuah budaya. Sebuah unsur yang sangat penting. Sedangkan budaya adalah sesuatu yang wajib dilestarikan.
Sepengetahuan saya belum ada satu pun lembaga pendidikan tinggi yang "berani" membuka jurusan Sastra Toraja, sekalipun lembaga itu sendiri berlabel Toraja.

Where is Toraja ?

Toraja highland be located in South of Sulawesi, Indonesia, South East Asia. About 320 kilometer from Makassar, can be achieved by Airplane or by bus.
If you fill bus, you also will enjoy to trace the street from Makassar to Toraja. You can see closed the others ethnic that majority consists of Bugis. Bugis also have unique culture that really different with Torajan Culture.
You will trace west beach of South Sulawesi from Barru to Pare-pare and also enjoy with Bambapuang mountains in Enrekang. Where in the Bambapuang you will start get the fresh air until you find Toraja, a cool climate land.
You can get a few good transportation service that managed with professional.Trip to Toraja that's means, Makassar is a part of your trip, caused by Makassar is an International Airport and also a beautiful city that known with Losari Beach that them say as longest restaurant in the world.