RELIGION

Aluk Todolo, the ancestral religion, is still followed by a small minority of Torajans today as more and more are converting to Christianity.

According to 1981 statictics, the majority of the people of Toraja are Protestan, about 66%; followed by 12% Catholics,about 7% Moslem and only 15% are adherents of Aluk todolo. Still most Torajans follow the traditional customs of their ancestors.

Officialy recognized as related to Hindusm, Aluk Todolo has a panthem of gods and the supreme God is Puang Matua (the old lord) who also the Creator. It is he who unified all gods, created mankid and all other creatures.

According to the Toraja myth of creation, before there were gods, there was heaven and earth. The universe created the gods and Heaven and Earth were the first parents of Pong Tulak Padan (he who supports the Earth), Pong Banggai Rante (he whose plain is large) and Gaunti Kembong (selfexpanding cloud). Together they grew up and formed the trinity and created the sun, moon and the stars.

They separated to become Lords of the underworld, the earth, and the upperworld. Gaunti Kembong, the lord of the upperworld, removed a rib who became Usuk Sang Bamban (the one special rib) who grew up and married Simbolong Manik who emerged from stone in the east. From their union, Puang Matua was born.

As in the upperworl, the earth is supposed to have a head (ulu), which faces north (daya, rekke) and a tail (ikko’) which faces south (lo’sau,) east(lan, tama) is for sunricse while west (diong, rokko) is linked with sundown. Based on this, north and east are considered the sphere of life and south and west of death. By this same nation, the north and east are the domain of the gods, protectors of plants, domestic animals and human-life, while south and west is where the souls of thedesd reside until the completion of the direction of southwest.

From the land of the souls puya, the ancestors after completion of the death rituals, are deified and enter heaven via a palm tree. As wedding ceremonies.

The sacrificial ritual of the east or ranbu tuka, which mans “smoke ascending” is held on the east or northeast of the tongkonan and the priest faces east.

Rambu solo’ “smoke descending” is the sacrificial ritual of the west and is held at sundown, on the west side of the house.

The rituals in this category are those for the dead, aluk tomate perfomed by the tomebalun such as offering to the souls, slaughter of animals for the dead and the wrapping of the corpse. The tomebalun or death priest is usually shunned and only visits homes when there is a death in the family.

Observance of the religion insolves the performance of various aluk ceremonies and avoiding certain taboos.