SulawesiINTRODUCTION TO SULAWESI / TORAJA LAND
On a map the
island Sulawesi is easily recognized by its irregular shape. Its
unruly peninsulas reach out into the Sulawesi, Molucca, Banda
and Flores seas. Within its odd, dancing outlines - the product
of the collision of ancient continents - extraordinary
landscapes are found. Mountains, tropical forests, green rice
terraces and mysterious lakes dominate the interior. Off the
main land coral reefs line its coasts and nearby islands. White
sandy beaches fringed with coconut trees and scattered fishing
villages are flanked by rugged limestone outcroppings.
Sulawesi - once known as Celebes - is
home to an amazing variety of peoples. Fishermen inhabit its
coasts, catching flying fish, shark, tuna, mackerel and squid,
and many other products from the sea. Sailing and trading
peoples, in particular the Bugis and Makassar in the south and
Mandar people in the west, are renowned for their remarkable
wooden sailing crafts and their voyages to destinations as
distant as Singapore and Australia. The mountain area of Tana
Toraja are inhabited by the Toraja people renowned for their
funeral ceremonies that last several days, and burial sites
carved out in rocky cliffs. This area is as well famous for the
peak-roofed traditional houses and beautiful wood carvings.
From the the old fort and harbour of Makassar, and the
mysterious megaliths of the Bada Valley (near Palu in Central
Sulawesi) to the world famous coral gardens near Manado, the
island of Sulawesi offers a visual and cultural feast for the
visitors with sufficient time and a sense of adventure.
