Tempe Lake

Lake Tempe is one of the attractions in South Sulawesi that are frequently visited by tourists, both domestic and foreign tourists.The lake is the extent of 13,000 hectares of this, when viewed from a height looks like a giant basin. The lake is a source of livelihood, fishing, not only for the District Wajo, but also some community Soppeng District (where I live) and Sidrap. Along the lakeshore, nuanced look Bugis fishing village lined facing the lake.

Lake Tempe is the largest freshwater fish producer in the world, because the bottom of the lake holds many food sources of fish.In addition, this lake also has a freshwater fish species that can not be found elsewhere. This is expected because the location of the lake is located just above the Australian and Asian plates.

In the midst of Lake Tempe, seemed hundreds of floating house owned by fishermen who lined decorated with colorful flags. From the top of the floating house, tourists can watch sunrise and sunset in the same position, and witnessed a variety of birds, flowers, grass and water that floats above the water surface. At night, visitors can witness the beauty of the moon that illuminates the Tempe Lake while fishing.

Every festival was held August 23 called Maccera Tappareng (purify lake) which is characterized by cutting cattle, led by chairman of the local fishermen. In this event, visitors can witness a variety of very interesting tourist attractions, such as traditional boat races, boat decorative, folk games (eg, race kites), selection of ana? virgin (girl) and kallolona (youth) Land Wajo, padendang (beating the mortar), performances of traditional music and dance bissu played by the transvestites, and various other traditional performances.

Implementation of the festival is intended to feel kinship and unity among fellow fishermen to stay awake with the principle? 3-S?, Namely Sipakatau, Sipakainge, and Sipakalebbi (mutual respect, salingmenasehati, and mutual respect). By watching this festival, the end can know about the culture of the society Bugis in South Sulawesi, particularly Bugis Wajo.

The lake is located 7 km from the city of Sengkang, the capital of Wajo.Untuk reach this place, from Sengkang to the River City Walennae can be reached overland by car pete-pete (microbus).From the River to the Lake Tempe Walennae taken for 30 minutes by motor boat or katinting, at a cost of about Rp. 50.000, - to Rp. 75.000, - per person.

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Burial Cliffs in Tana Toraja

Toraja tribe, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, known cheerful views of how to treat death and the burial ground of unique carved in sheer rock. 

One of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Indonesia, the green hills of South Sulawesi is the home of the Toraja tribe, a tribe that still respects the old Austronesian lifestyle, similar to the culture of Nias. Most members of the tribe of Christians, was converted during the Dutch occupation, but the traces of their old beliefs still remain and are most visible during the celebration of funeral and burial customs. Toraja is quite obsessed with death, but not in the sense of tragic, for their funeral lot like going-away party celebrated at the expense of dozens of water buffalo and pigs for the feast enjoyed by the whole community.

The main concern of a member of the Toraja tribe is to make sure he raised enough money so his family can make the best party in town, when he left this world. Their bodies were kept under the family home for years after their deaths. During this time the remaining family saw him not as "deceased" but as "sick", and raise money for the actual funeral, which is usually attended by hundreds of guests. Travelers are welcome to attend the celebration, as long as they do not wear anything black or red.

While rural churches Toraja, Toraja tribe members often buried in the ground. They also placed in tombs were excavated in the cliffs nearby, or in wooden coffins hanging on the side of the mountains.Lemo, one of the most popular burial sites in the area, looks like a piece of Swiss cheese boulder, with a corresponding hole carved coffins and a balcony for the "tau tau" - sized wooden statue representing almarhum.Zaman first, the statue shows only genderdeceased, but now sculptor trying to make them look like actual people. Once the body has been placed in a tomb stone, statue of the dead were placed together with others, in a carved balcony, so his spirit could keep the offspring. Unfortunately, so many statues of "tau tau" has been stolen for sale to tourists that people have started to keep them in their homes.

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Tana Toraja, Cultural Heritage Ancestors

Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja, with Makale as its capital, is located in South Sulawesi Province, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. Tana Toraja regency is located about 350 Km north of Makassar is the capital of South Sulawesi Province.
In the Tana Toraja regency there Toraja tribe who inhabit the mountains. Toraja Tribe is still maintaining a distinctive lifestyle that is Austronesian lifestyle. Tana Toraja is one of tourist attraction in Indonesia, especially in South Sulawesi.

Road to Tana Toraja
Air Travel
Sultan Hasanuddin Airport Makassar to Tana Toraja takes ± 45 minutes.
Arriving in Tana Toraja, the journey continues towards the town of Rantepao District. Furthermore, from the City of Rantepao to Kampung Bonoran ± 4 km away and can be taken within ± 30 minutes by public transportation.
Travel Land
For land line can be reached by using a private vehicle or by public transportation. The time needed to travel overland travel is ± 8 hours.
Fascination Tana Toraja
Signs Solo
Signs Solo is the ceremonial death of the people of Tana Toraja.The purpose of this ceremony is to honor and bring souls who have passed away into the spirit world to come together with their ancestors in a place resort. Resting place of the ancestors of Tana Toraja people who had died called Puya.
Ritual of death is also called Death Completion ceremony, without this ceremony, the person who has died is still considered to have not actually died.
Signs Solo Part of the ceremony are:
Rante Ceremony
Rante ceremony was the culmination of the ceremony Signs Solo.In a ceremony Rante have several series of rituals, namely:
- The process of wrapping the bodies
- Affixing of ornaments of gold and silver thread in the coffin
- Decrease in the body to the barn to be buried
- The final resting place remains pengusungan

  Signs Tuka
The ceremony is a traditional ceremony Tuka signs associated with shower, in this ceremony there is no sadness there is only joy.
When happy, the community held a ceremony Rambu Toraja Tuka.The ceremony was interesting for a variety of attractions, dancing, and singing from the Toraja culture is unique.
Many kinds of signs ceremony Tuka, some traditional ceremonies that fall into the category Tuka signs are:
mangrara banua (thanksgiving after rehabilitation tongkonan)
aluk ma'lolo (thanksgiving ceremony births)
aluk plant (successes harvest thanksgiving ceremony)
Of the several kinds of ceremony, mangrara banua is the largest event.
Tuka signs ceremony brings all the family cluster, the existence of this event makes kinship ties in Tana Toraja is extremely strong.
Tuka signs ceremony held before noon on the east tongkonan. This is different from Signs Solo that was held after noon on the west tongkonan. As a ceremony of joy, Tuka held signs accompany heightened sun. While Signs Solo held accompany the sinking sun.
Tongkonan

Tongkonan is building custom homes Toraja Tribe.
This traditional house roof made of palm leaves and leaf nipah or custom roofs can last up to 50 years old. At Londa, there Rantepao Tongkonan have a very old age, which is 600 years old. Tongkonan unique shape that makes many people amazed to see it.
Tongkonan also have strata according to their degree of nobility of each person, like Tongkonan with strata of gold, bronze, iron and brass.
Facilities Available
At tourist sites, is available wide range of Tana Toraja souvenirs, such as necklaces, keychains, and miniature traditional house of Tana Toraja (Tongkonan).

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