Home » Sulawesi » Tana Toraja » Kete Kesu Traditional Village

Kete Kesu Toraja Traditional Village

Kete Kesu Traditional Village

One of the hidden traditional villages located in the mountainous region of Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi is the Kete Kesu Traditional Village.

One of UNESCO's world heritage as a cultural heritage. Because the residents really respect the culture and teachings of their ancestors.

In fact, the age of this village is estimated to be 400 years old. What is unique is that the Kete Kesu Traditional Village has never experienced any changes since it was first established.

Photo by Flickr

Interesting Facts about the Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja

To find out interesting facts about the magnificent heritage of the Kete Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja, let's look at some of the reviews below:

There is a Tongkonan with an age of 300 years

This tongkonan is a typical traditional house from this village which is 300 years old. This traditional village with rows of Tongkonan houses has indeed been a legacy passed down from generation to generation by the ancestors of the Toraja people. It is certainly very interesting to learn about the history of the Kete Kesu Traditional Village.

The characteristic of Tongkonan is that the building is not integrated with the ground at the bottom like a stilt house. In fact, the Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja is often used for nobles to gather and has been passed down from generation to generation.

Having Buffalo Horn Decoration on Tongkonan

Another interesting thing is the original buffalo horn decoration which is used as decoration on the Tongkonan. Usually, people arrange the buffalo horns vertically. This means that the owner has a high social status or a lot of wealth.

The reason is that this Tongkonan has lots of buffalo horns, when holding a death ceremony or Solo Sign Ceremony, This owner's family will slaughter many buffalo.

This can certainly explain that the family has a lot of money to attend the death ceremony at the famous Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja.

There is an Ancient Grave in the Hole of the Cliff

Photo by Exploresouthsulawesi

One interesting fact that you won't find in other areas is that there are ancient graves located in holes in the cliffs. Apart from that, if you are there you will feel a mystical feel, because there are bones of the ancestors of the Toraja people that you can see.

However, the ancient Toraja burial area located in the Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja is really well maintained by the local residents. They even lowered the coffin and replaced the body's clothes.

Local residents also believe that this is a gathering place for ancestors and deceased relatives and family members.

See also: Londa Tana Toraja Grave

Have Unique Buildings and All Facing North

Tongkonan, which is located in the Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja, has a unique building with a roof shape that resembles buffalo horns. And it turns out that all of these Tongkonan face north, which has the meaning of being a symbol of origin ancestors Tana Toraja.

So if a member of the family dies, they will immediately go north and gather with their ancestors. This is certainly an attraction in itself, isn't it?

Kete Kesu Traditional Village as a Producer of Sculpture, Carving and Painting Crafts

Apart from having distinctive building characteristics that have their own charm, it turns out that the Ke'te Kesu Traditional Village in Toraja is also famous as a producer of handicrafts. Even the craft products in the form of carvings, chisels and paintings are world class.

One of his crafts is Tau-Tau, which is a statue usually used during traditional Toraja funeral ceremonies. Apart from that, craftsmen can also carve coffins and traditional houses in Toraja.

See also:

So, those are five interesting facts about the Kete Kesu Traditional Village in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. Hopefully this can increase your knowledge. Happy holidays.

Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address Will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment is processed.