Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Toraja Funeral
The Toraja are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 650,000, of which 450,000 still live in the regency of Tana Toraja ("Land of Toraja"). Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk ("the way"). The Indonesian government has recognized this animist belief as Aluk To Dolo ("Way of the Ancestors"). [Source: Wikipedia]
Tomate, is a funeral procession in Toraja society. This ritual procession held to send the spirit to the Puya, the afterworld properly to avoid misfortune to its family.
In Toraja funeral dead person called 'Tomate'. Without proper funeral rites the spirit of the deceased will cause misfortune to its family. The funeral sacrifices, ceremonies and feats also impress the gods with the importance of deceased, so that the spirit can intercede effectively on behalf of living relatives. In Tana Toraja, there are several arcs of groups of roughly hewn stone slabs around villages, and each stone possibly represents a member of the noble class who lived and died there.
The dead person presides over the funeral from the high-roofed tower constructed at one and of the field. At a funeral, bamboo pavilions for the family and guests are constructed around a field.
The Toraja generally have two funerals, one immediately after a death and elaborate, second funeral after preparations. The souls of the dead can only go to Puya, the afterworld, when the entire death ritual has been carried out.
They believe the soul of the deceased will ride the souls of the slaughtered buffaloes and pigs to heaven. The buffalo has traditionally been a symbol of wealth and power-even land could be paid for in buffaloes. After the guest display their presents of pigs and buffaloes, the traditional Mabadong song and dance is performed. This is a ceremonial re-enactment of the cycle of human life and the life story of the deceased. It also farewell to the soul of the deceased, and relays the hope that the soul will arrive in the afterworld safely.
Funerals can be spread out over several days and involve hundreds of guests (and many tourists).
Kite Cultures - Indonesia
A country with one of the richest kite heritages in the world, Indonesia boasts the leaf kites of Sulawesi, the Pechukan, Janggan, and Bebean of Bali, the Sumbulan of central Java, among many others. The country’s kites are made from a variety of materials. Frames are made of bamboo; sails of cotton fabric, paper, foil, wax paper, leafs, or cassava paper.
As with many agrarian cultures, flying kites went hand in hand with the jubilation of a successful harvest. Indonesia is also an ocean culture in which kites were used for fishing; perhaps the first use of kites, anywhere.
Sustainable Destinations
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Sustainable destinations have achieved balance. They have balanced the long-term economic needs of residents with the short and medium term needs of businesses. They have done this by creating a diverse and value-laden tourism product that attracts a mix of domestic and international guests, many of whom are repeat visitors and have made a personal financial commitment to the destination.
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Sustainable destinations reinvest the profits from their tourism activities in environmental conservation and historic restoration and preservation. They demonstrate a thriving culture, strong social networks and increasing biodiversity. They show effective planning, substantial land and marine protection, increased energy and water conservation, and a reduction in solid waste per guest over time. They have an effective recycling and wastewater sanitation program that is carefully managed. They have taken steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their activities.
Sustainable destinations are internationally recognized, valued by tourists for their environmental quality, and receive increasing value from tourist stays.
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Using the Sustainable Travel International Approach, we’ll help you assess the landscape, create a road map, implement solutions and evolve as needed. We’ll draw on our relationships and experience to guide you, and together we’ll write the next chapter of your Sustainability Story.
Assessment
- We start by working together to establish a long-term view of the destination landscape, identifying sustainability risks and strategic growth opportunities. We facilitate discussions with stakeholders, while utilizing our innovative tools and expertise to develop a clear plan of action.
- Planning
- As we design and implement initiatives, we’ll prioritize critical impacts, build local capacity and set achievable benchmarks. Over time, we’ll help you implement these programs, track their progress, and monitor your results.
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- Sustainable tourism standards are the genesis of quality tourism planning. Our place-based solutions focus on the needs of the destination, while assuring that local tourism businesses meet third-party verified levels of quality and sustainability.
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Source: SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL
Thursday, June 6, 2013
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