Craft Sculpture of Tana Toraja

By Indra J Mae - November 16, 2013

Buffalo Market

Tha Dance of The king Soldiers

Tana Toraja is one of the counties located within the province of South Sulawesi capital in Makale . It is located about 330 KM north of the city of Makassar .
Traveled to Tana Toraja would not be complete without a visit here . Many are found all the elements of the traditional arts in the culture of Toraja , namely custom home Tongkonan , reeds or rice barns , cemeteries , and the making of handicrafts typical of Tana Toraja carving . The district capital is Makale have absolute craft process requires very high artistic ability and artistic.

One type of art that is well-known and typical Tana Toraja is a sculpture , as old as the art of Tana Toraja ancestors . This type of engraving is used as a range of both exterior and interior decoration at the customs house Toraja ( Tongkonan ) including the granary ( Alang Sura ' ) .
All the carvings were found in the house and the barn is a symbol or a symbol meaning of the Toraja people live . Carvings that there is a meaningful human relationship with his creator Toraja with the cosmos and describe relationships with fellow human beings ( Lolo Tau ) , with animals / livestock ( Lolo Patuoan ) with plants ( Lolo detainees ) .
Throughout the study showed the amount of carving in Tana Toraja as many as 67 types with each style and meaning . Color engraving consists of red, yellow , white and black . All of it is original color engraving taken from clay , called a Litak . Except for the black color derived from soot ( black liquor in the pot ) or the inside of a young banana stem .
There is also the type of art that is an integral part in the life and culture of the Toraja people sculpture . This art can be seen in Tongkonan Merambu ( traditional house ) and Tang Tongkonan Merambu ( grave / patane ) .
As a result of equipment sculpture must exist in Banua Sura ' , the traditional house ( tongkonan ) is : Kabongo ' , ie buffalo head carved from sandalwood ( Sendana ) or jackfruit wood and fitted with genuine buffalo horn . Kabongo ' this means that this is tongkonan Tongkonan Community Leaders in other words places carry Toraja traditional roles and powers .