Sunday, September 24, 2023

Unique and Meaningful Toraja Tongkonan House


    Every region in Indonesia has its own traditional house, one of which is the Tongkonan traditional house in Toraja. Tongkonan traditional house from South Sulawesi. Indonesia is a very beautiful country and has become a tourist attraction because it has many interesting tourist destinations that can be destinations for tourists to visit. Almost all cities in Indonesia have their own different beauty and of course you also have to know the cultural heritage of our beloved country.
    One of Indonesia's cultural heritages is traditional houses. A traditional house is a type of traditional house that almost every region has its own characteristics and makes each traditional house very unique and has its own differences. One of the unique traditional houses is the Tongkonan Toraja traditional house. So that you can find out about these traditional houses, this article will discuss.


1. Philosophy of the Tongkonan Traditional House

    Every traditional house in Indonesia is of course built and has its own philosophical values. The Tongkonan traditional house itself has a philosophical record that always departs from a philosophy of life taken from the teachings of Aluk Todolo. This philosophy states that traditional house buildings must have meaning that is tied to all processes of Toraja society.

    The Tongkonan House is a symbol of family and dignity of the Toraja people. So if the house is sold, it can automatically be interpreted as selling the dignity of the owner of the house.

2. Meaning and Function

    The traditional tongkonan house certainly has its own meaning and function. At this time, the Tongkonan house is no longer used as a residence because almost every resident who once lived in the house has built their own residence.

    Initially, the Tongkonan house was created as a place to become a cultural center for the Toraja people. The traditional house will also serve as a social center and place for religious ceremonies for the existing family. The Tongkonan house itself can also be used as a banua or traditional house and even as a rice barn.

    In accordance with the philosophical values ​​mentioned above, the Tongkonan traditional house is a place that has very broad aspects and includes all aspects of life. For this reason, the Toraja people hold Tongkonan houses very sacred to this day.

Typical Parts of a Tongkonan Traditional House that Can Be Applied at Home

1. Buffalo Head Statue


    One of the unique parts of a Tongkonan traditional house is that at the top of the traditional house a statue of a buffalo head is installed. There are 3 types of buffalo heads installed on the roof of the house, namely white buffalo, black buffalo and also striped buffalo or often referred to as Caucasian buffalo.

    In several other Tongkonan traditional houses, there are usually additional statues such as chicken heads or dragon statues. These two statues are a sign that the owner of the house is an elder. You can adopt an interesting statue to become a beautiful decoration in your home.

2. Four Basic Colors

    Tongkonan houses are made with four basic colors, each of which has a meaning. The red color means blood which symbolizes human life. The yellow color means a gift from the Almighty.

    White is the color of bones which means holy or clean. Meanwhile, black means death. You can also use colors that have these meanings to paint the outside of your house to make it look more attractive.




3. Pipit Tree Shaped House

    The house with the shape of a sparrow tree is one of the early stages of the development of the Toraja house. A house in the shape of a sparrow tree is a house that is on a tree and is made of wooden twigs placed on a large branch and uses a roof .

4. The shape of the roof resembles a boat

    One of the most distinctive parts of a Tongkonan house and one of its clearest characteristics is the shape of the roof which resembles a boat. The shape of the roof was created as a reminder that the ancestors used boats to get to the island of Sulawesi.
    
    The roof is one of the most important aspects of a house. Look for an attractive roof design and type so that your house can look different from others without sacrificing existing function and comfort.



5. Unique House Construction


    Tongkonan houses are generally made to face the North East and are built on large plots of land. The exterior construction of the Tongkonan house is very large, but this is the opposite of its contents. The inside of the traditional house is actually much smaller and only looks big from the outside.

    In other Tanah Toraja villages which are larger in size, Tongkonan houses will usually be built neatly in rows and sequences, just like the houses in the plots currently. On the opposite side, each traditional house also usually has its own rice field so that each family can grow their own crops easily.



















 


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