" ALUK TODOLO"

category          : History and Culture
Sub category  : Religion
(courtesy of Sejarah dan Budaya Toraja; by Andi Fatmawaty Umar)

Before Torajans profess Christianity, and Islamic, have been known a belief in animism that from their ancestors called Aluk Todolo.
After the entry of Christian in this region. The situation of community life gradually began to change, especially in attitudes and way of life, although not entirely leave the setting of a traditional life.

The presence of religion in people's lives still remain side by side with derived habits of their ancestors. Such as the belief about the good days and bad, belief in causal of catastrophe when get travel, to plant rice and do the ceremony.

In the plurality always visible religious harmony does not occur and the impact of religion and belief in it.
This is caused by the feeling of mutual understanding and respect at the same time respect the trust between them.
The mutual respect existence is also visible on the nature of mutual help, and they visit each other, especially in the feast.

Before insertion of religion, whether Christian or Islamic, Toraja people follow the belief that ancestors are inherited from generation to generation until now. The society believe that everything in this world have a life (Harahap 1952:16) even more human lives continue to live even though they have died, usually given food, drink and even have it delivered every day to eat.
This indicates that they believe as though the dead are alive because this always been the need to eat and drink or even have died (aka.ma'pakande tomate).

Spirituality hereditary and is considered a religious belief in original and better known by the name Aluk Todolo.

According to LT Tangdilintin , the meaning of Aluk Todolo; Aluk is religion / rules, and Todolo is the ancestor.
So Aluk Todolo means ancestor religion.

Aluk Todolo is a form of animism the belief that each thought that the stone or objects have any power, and is one of the religious system that has been traditionally held by the residents of Toraja since IX century– BC and are still inherited from generation to generation until now.

Rante (Menhir Stone) _ Inheritance of Aluk To Dolo Toraja

According Tangdilintin, Aluk Todolo is one of faith or conviction that is revealed by Puang Matua (the Creator).
Rules (aka.aluk) that passed on Datu Laukku which contains the religious rules that people and all the occupant of this earth must worship.
Worship is at Puang Matua , the Creator, as expressed in the form of a dish. Puang Matua as the Creator gives power to the deata-deata (the custodian).

Human practice is required in all the world and worshipPuang Matua and Deata-Deata . AlukTodolo teachings the cult to both supreme deities above.

In Aluk Todolo known three groups of deata, namely:

1. Deata Tangnga Langi '; affairs in the sky

2. Deata Kapadanganna; affairs of the Earth

3. Deata Tangngana Padang; affairs all over the land fill.

In addition to the three classes of Deata, Aluk Todolo teachings to follow provisions appropriate point in religion (aka.sukaran aluk), then people need to worship to the third rule, namely:

1. Puang Matua

2. Deata-Deata

3. To Membali Puang

Based on the third of Deata is mentioned above is clear that the Aluk Todolo teachings conseptual structure of the gods who arranged vertically.
Puang Matua on the one hand be seen as the supreme deity as the creator of all nature. Meanwhile, on the other hand deata- deata as caretaker, authority, arrange life of the creation of Puang Matua.

When Puang Matua as supreme deity or the deity who is considered the Creator of all nature is believed reside in the north side (aka.karopokna langi '), then the deata-deata considered reside in the eastern (aka.mata allo). This concept shows that Puang Matua not only have the function and role that is different from the deities, but the sit is different.

How to worship to them, by the Aluk Todolo done with the dish. With the offerings in the different way according to the levels of each:

a. Worship to Puang Matua (the Creator), as the highest ceremony with slaughtering the animals.

b. Tribute to the affairs that is intended to deata-deata (deities) and the present offering.

c. Offering to To Membali Puang (supervisor) made by his descendants to commemorate the spirit of the ancestors .

The three elements of worship as described above, based on the teachings and rules that apply. Rules and teachings orient on faith system.
In realization this ceremony supported by community group that passed on from one generation to the other.

~o~

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