Toraja Funeral Ceremony: The Toraja people are rice farmers and live in the mountainous areas of South Sulawesi. They hold fascinating and elaborate funeral rites to send the spirit of the dead to the afterworld and to prevent misfortune on the deceased's family. The ceremony is often held weeks or months after the death so that sufficient funds can be raised to cover the funeral expenses. During the waiting period, the corpse "lives" with the family in their tongkonan.
Toraja funeral rites spread over several days and involve hundreds of extended family members and guests from the nearby villages. Chanting and dance are performed to honor the deceased and to bid farewell. It is not until the first water buffalo is sacrificed that the deceased is considered dead. Torajans believe that the soul of the deceased will ride the soul of the slaughtered buffalo to the afterworld. The dead is placed in a hand-crafted coffin and buried in a cave or hole carved into cliff walls or hung on a cliff. A wood-carved effigy is usually placed in the cave looking out over the land.