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    Ethics-Group 3-Toraja

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    Lonjin Huang
    The Toraja people of Indonesia exhume the corpses of deceased villagers every one to three years as part of their traditional Aluk To Dolo religion, which involves keeping the bodies in their homes until funds are raised for elaborate funerals, then parading them and cleaning the bones in a ritual called Ma'nene; this practice honors the dead as ancestors and connects younger generations to the past, though it is costly and criticized by some as devaluing human life.

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    Ethics-Group 3-Toraja

    Uploaded by

    Lonjin Huang
    625 views12 pages
    The Toraja people of Indonesia exhume the corpses of deceased villagers every one to three years as part of their traditional Aluk To Dolo religion, which involves keeping the bodies in their homes until funds are raised for elaborate funerals, then parading them and cleaning the bones in a ritual called Ma'nene; this practice honors the dead as ancestors and connects younger generations to the past, though it is costly and criticized by some as devaluing human life.

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    The Toraja people of Indonesia exhume the corpses of deceased villagers every one to three years as part of their traditional Aluk To Dolo religion, which involves keeping the bodies in their homes until funds are raised for elaborate funerals, then parading them and cleaning the bones in a ritual called Ma'nene; this practice honors the dead as ancestors and connects younger generations to the past, though it is costly and criticized by some as devaluing human life.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    625 views12 pages

    Ethics-Group 3-Toraja

    Uploaded by

    Lonjin Huang
    The Toraja people of Indonesia exhume the corpses of deceased villagers every one to three years as part of their traditional Aluk To Dolo religion, which involves keeping the bodies in their homes until funds are raised for elaborate funerals, then parading them and cleaning the bones in a ritual called Ma'nene; this practice honors the dead as ancestors and connects younger generations to the past, though it is costly and criticized by some as devaluing human life.

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    EXHUMING THE CORPSES

    THE TORAJA PEOPLE OF INDONESIA’S PRACTICE


    OF EXHUMING THE CORPSES OF THEIR FELLOW
    VILLAGERS AND PARADING THEM AROUND
    The Torajans are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountain
    region of South Sulawasi, Indonesia. Their population is
    approximately 1,100,000, of which 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 recognized this animistic belief as Aluk To
    Dolo (“Way of the Ancestors”).
    HISTOR
    Y
     According to Archaeological research, the tradition
    could date back more than 900 years.
     In 1913, Dutch missionaries founded schools in Toraja
    and most of the population converted to Protestantism
    or Roman Catholicism. However, despite practicing
    Christianity, contemporary Toraja death rites, including
    the slaughter of Buffalo, continue to be strongly
    influenced by the old religion.
    HISTOR
    Y
     1960 – Indonesian government officially recognized
    only the religion of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and
    Christianity. But the Toraja argued their religion was no
    different from Balinese Hinduism and, in 1970, Aluk
    To’Dolo was recognized as a form of Hinduism.
     TRADITIONAL RELIGION

     ALUK TO DOLO (“Way of The Ancestors”)

     A combination of ancestor cult, myth, and animal


    sacrifice.
     TRADITIONAL RELIGION

    1. The deceased are treated as if they


    are sick (Toma Kula).

     Wrapped corpses are kept in the Southernmost room


    of the Tongkonan, the traditional Torajan house,
    because Puya (heaven) lies in that direction, while the
    North is where life is found. The ‘sick’ must face
    West, though, because they are in transition.
     TRADITIONAL RELIGION
    2. It is only when a suitable amount of
    money has been raised and every
    relative has been contacted that the
    family begins funeral and burial
    preparation.

    3. The last breath of the first


    sacrificial water Buffalo killed during
    the Rambu Solo ceremony marks the
    official death of a ‘sick person’.
     TRADITIONAL RELIGION

    4. The final resting place is in a


    cave up on the cliff.

    5. Every one to three years, a clan


    will gather for the ritual known as
    Ma’nene (ritual of cleaning
    corpses).
    CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
     “Toraja people believe the spirit of the dead lives
    among us, the living, looking out for us, blessing
    us.” –Eric Crystal Rante Allo (head of the Torajan
    branch of AMAN)
     Torajans highly respect their dead.
     Ma’nene – opportunity for the younger generations
    to connect with their ancestors.
    CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
     A funeral is viewed as a showing of status for
    Torajan families.
     Death is not seen as something to fear, but a normal
    step in life that embraced fully.
    REASONS WHY IT
    DEVALUES HUMAN
    LIVES
     Costly

     Victim of tradition
    GROUP #3
    • ANDREA SAGALA
    • JOMAR SOLANO
    • JOY KIMBERLY FRONDOZO
    • MAY ANN FAJARDO
    • ROCHELLE ELIOT
    • ROWENA RALLONZA

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