FUNERALS
	Tomate (funeral) literally means 'dead person', and of all the Torajan ceremonies the most important are those concerned with sending a dead person to the afterworld. Without proper funeral rites the spirit of the deceased will cause misfortune to its family. The funeral sacrifices, ceremonies and feasts also impress the gods with the importance of the deceased, so that the spirit can intercede effectively on behalf of living relatives. Funerals are sometimes held at the rante, funeral sites marked by one or more megaliths. In Tanatoraja there are several arcs or groups of roughly hewn stone slabs around villages, and it is said that each stone represents a member of the noble class who lived and died there. Some are as high as four meters, symbolising the importance of the deceased. The efforts to raise even one stone involves score of men dragging the stone to the designated place with ropes and sacrificial slaughter to celebrate the new megalith- part of the complex funeral preparations for nobles.   At a funeral, bamboo pavillions for the family and guests are constructed around a field. The dead person is said to preside over the funeral from the high-roofed tower constructed at one end of the field. Like the Balinese, the Toraja generally have two funerals, one immediately after the a death and an elaborate second funeral after sufficient time has elapsed to make the preparations (raise the necessary cash, obtain livestock, gather relatives from afar, and so on). For this reason tomate are usually scheduled during the dry season from July to September, when family members have free time. The Toraja cheerfully refer to this period as 'party season'.   The corpse remains in the house where the person died. These days it is preserved by injection instead of traditional embalming herbs. Food is cooked and offered to the the dead person; those of noble birth have attendants who stay in their immediate presence from the hour of death to the day of their final progress to the tomb. An invitation to visit the deceased is an honour.   The souls of the dead can only go to Puya, the afterworld, when the entire death ritual has been carried out. A spirit's status in the afterlife is the same as its owner's status in the present life; even the souls of animals follow their masters to the next life- hence the animal sacrifices of the funerals. It is believed that the soul of the deceased will ride the souls of the slaughtered buffaloes and pigs to heaven. The trip to Puya requires a strong buffalo because the long and difficult journey crosses undreds of mountains and thousands of valleys.   Sons and daughters of the deceased have an equal chance to inherit their parents' property, but their share depends on the number of buffaloes they slaughter at the funeral feast. The buffalo has traditionally been a symbol of wealth and power- even land could be paid for in buffaloes. A modeled buffalo head, fitted with real horns, is the figurehead of the Toraja houses; buffalo motifs are carved or painted on the walls of the houses; and horns decorate the gable poles.   The more important the deceased, the more buffaloes must be sacrificed: one for a commoner, four, eight, 12, or 24 as you move up the social scale. The age and status of the deceasd also determines the number of animals slaughtered. Large pesta, where more than 100 buffaloes are slaughtered, are talked of with awe for years afterwards. The type of buffalo is also significant- the most prized being the tedong bonga (spotted buffalo), which may cost millions of roupiah per head. The temptation to sacrifice dozens of buffaloes to honor the dead and impress the living prompted the Indonesian government to levy a tax on each slaugthered animal to limit the detruction of wealth. However, funeral ceremonies have lost none of their ostentation and are still a ruinous financial burden on families. Some now refuse to hold tomate, despite their social obligation to do so.   Those with strong stomach can see freshly killed pigs roasted on open fires to scorch the skin before the pig is gutted and the meat mixed with piles of vegetables and stuffed into bamboo tubes. The bamboo tubes are cooked slowly over low flames to produce tasty pa'piong. Cuts of buffalo meat are also distributed- the funeral season is the only time of the year families are guaranteed regular supplies of meat.   Funerals can be spread out over several days and involve hundreds of guests. The tau tau alone can cost nearly a year's wage for many Indonesians. Bamboo pavillons are constructed specially for the occasion, with a death tower at one end.   After the guests 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 is a slow-moving circular dance performed by men in black sarongs, who stand shoulder to shoulder and chant for hours. It also bids farewell to the soul of the deceased and relays the hope that the soul will arrive in the afterworld safely. Cigarettes are circulated, and endless supply of food and thuak (palm wine) are served to the guests by immaculately clad women. Each family member is responsible for a pavillon and its kitchen. Women recruited from friends and family cater for the constant flow of guets.   Ceremonies last from one to seven days, depending on the wealth and social status of the deceased. There may be buffalo fighting, the winner is the one which makes its opponent slide backwards. The crowd urges them on with frenzied whoops and yells, but is ready to scatter in case one breaks loose and charges in panic. As well as the Mabadong, there might be orchestras of Sunday school children playing painted bamboo wind instruments. The programme might also include dances like the Maranding, a war dance performed at the burial service of a patriotic nobleman to remind the people of his heroic deeds, or the Makatia, which reminds the people of the deceased's generosity and loyalty. Songs may also be sung to console the bereaved family and convey their grief to the other guests at the funeral.