BATUTUMONGA

BATUTUMONGA IS LESS than 15kms from its bigger neighbour, Rantepao. We actually walked about half way back on a day out, but would absolutely recommend staying here rather than day-tripping. Burial sites, funerals, traditional houses and villages sit amongst peaceful, rolling terraces.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA rice fields scenery tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Batutumonga is one of several villages just beyond Rantepao.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA view of valley and Rantepao tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Guesthouses and restaurants have views right the way down to Rantepao.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Despite being walkable (not by me) Batutumonga is a world away.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA misty morning walk tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Traffic is almost nonexistent. Occasional trucks and utes do rattle by if you are hoping for a lift.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA mobile shop salesman trade Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Commercial activity is a handful or guesthouses and restaurants, and the mobile supermarkets.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA buffalo yards in morning agriculture farming tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — The buffalo market is a tiny bit smaller than that at Rantepao's Bolu Market.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA harvesting coffee farming produce agriculture Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — There's coffee farming.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA drying harvest rice fields scenery tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — And rice and other products are harvested, too.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Few of the settlements within walking distance consist of more than a handful of traditional tongkonan houses.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Houses adorned with buffalo horns are arranged around a traditional "rante" ceremonial ground.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Almost all houses are still built in the traditional curved roof style.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA buffalo horns village houses tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Buffalo horns are a display of wealth and prestige. Some of those bad boys sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA design motifs village houses tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Chickens, buffalo, crocodiles and geometric motifs light up the fronts.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village farms rice fields sceneryToraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — There is some excellent walking between the villages in any direction.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Early starts make for misty mornings.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses scenery tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — There's a surprising lack of places selling food, even humble warungs and noodle shops are few and far between.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA burial caves tau tau funeral rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — One of the best examples of cliff burials, Loko Mata is very close to town.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA burial caves tau tau funeral rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Several dozen tau-tau effigies stare back at you.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA burial caves tau tau funeral rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Burial houses also feature. Toraja people never bury in the ground.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA funeral ceremony tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Funerals, which run for several day, happen almost daily during the season.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA funeral ceremony tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — We picked up a lift, heading somewhere entirely different, but were dropped here.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA cave grave burial rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — After watching the cermony for a while, we continued to Lombok Parinding, one of the most remarkable cave burial sites in Toraja.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA cave grave burial rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Human remains in the dozens spill from old rotten coffins.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA cave grave burial rites tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — It takes a few hours walking and a token entrance fee, but this is Toraja at its most memorable.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA Pana child grave cliff burial tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Another famed Batutumonga site is Pana child burial site, a mere stroll away. Children are interned in trees, although we struggled to see any coffins.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village houses tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Despite being less than 15km from Rantepao, staying a few days here is so worthwhile.

INDONESIA BATUTAMONGA village scenery farming mist tongkonan Toraja tribes Rantepao Sulawesi culture traditions — Despite the proximity, you'll be sharing the scenery with few others.