A VIRTUAL TOUR THROUGH TANA TORAJA - KALIMBUANG BORI'

BORI', A CEREMONIAL SITE

The photo shows part of the "komplex menhir" in Bori', it is a so-called "rante", a place where the concluding phase of the funeral rites is celebrated. The total number of megaliths is 102, divided into 24 tall ones, 24 of medium size and 54 small ones. The height of these ceremonial stones called "simbuang batu" and the number of buffalos sacrificed reflects the social status of the deceased person for whom they were erected. The oldest verbal report (the Toraja's were illiterate so there are no written records) goes back to the year 1657 when more than 100 buffalos were slaughtered and 2 tall stones were set up in honour of the deceased Ne' Ramba'. Five "simbuang batu" were erected and more than 200 buffalos sacrificed during the funeral rites in honour of Ne' Padda' in 1807. The last stones were put up in 1962 in memory of Ne' Lai.

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