Eastern Indonesia stretches across a vast area. Not only does it boast natural beauty, but it is also rich in fascinating culture and history. This includes the eastern region of Indonesia in North Toraja, Sulawesi Province, where one of the most popular cultural tourist destinations is the Bori Parinding cultural heritage site. Curious about my experience visiting this cultural attraction? Keep reading.
Getting to Know the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site
The Bori Parinding Stone Tomb is a complex of stone graves and a rante where the Rambu Solo death ceremony is held. It is located in Bori Village, Sesean District, North Toraja, South Sulawesi Province. This site is also known by another name, Rante Kalimbuang or Kalimbuang Bori, which has a long history related to Toraja culture.
Bori Parinding has been registered as a cultural heritage site by the government under Decree No. PM.09/PW007/MKP/2010. Due to its uniqueness, Bori Parinding has also been listed as a UNESCO cultural heritage site since 2012.
The Bori ParindCal Heritage Site stands on an area of 546 m2. There are more than 100 menhirs or stone towers, some reaching 7 meters in height with a diameter of 180 cm. Their shape is simple, nothing unusual. Green trees and green grass surround this tourist attraction. It is very quiet and peaceful at first glance.
The Bori Parinding stone tombs are a complex of wild graves, which are unique because they have stone chambers for storing corpses and also rante or areas for Rambu Solo ceremonies. The Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site also has menhirs or stone monuments erected as symbols of honour for the deceased.
Moreover, the Bori Parinding stone tomb area is a symbol of social status. The size and technique used to create these sturdy stones reflect the social status of their owners and were erected as a symbol of honour for the deceased.
The larger and more complex the menhir, the higher the social status. The menhirs erected in this area also symbolise that the deceased was an essential figure in the social order of the Toraja tribe in North Toraja. These menhirs are erected after the funeral procession is complete.
The Bori Parinding stone tomb complex, which resembles Stonehenge, has existed since the 1700s. The Bori Parinding stone tomb complex was established after the death of an essential figure in the North Toraja community. Therefore, you will see some of these stones looking like fossils because some of them are more than 300 years old.
According to stories and several refs, the menhirs in this area were carved first and then planted by ancestors, not just anyone.
To this day, the Bori Parinding stone tombs stand firm, and it is their uniqueness and culture that attract many people from outside Toraja to visit them. Eventually, they have developed into one of Toraja's most popular tourist attractions, especially since their status has been elevated to a cultural heritage site and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Travel Experience to the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site
I first visited the Bori Parinding cultural heritage site in 2013, when access to this tourist attraction was still quite limited and it was not as popular among tourists as it is today. Along the way, it was not very crowded; we only passed by residents' houses and natural scenery consisting of rice fields and open forests. Nowadays, there are many beautiful cafes along the route, and many tourists visit.
When visiting the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site, we rented a car to get to this tourist attraction. At the same time, we also visited the Karst Rammang-rammang natural tourist destination. When we went there, considering that this tourist attraction was not yet very popular, when my friends and I visited this place, there were no other visitors. So it was just us at that time, so we could take pictures freely and chat with the local community at ease.
Upon arrival, we were guided by a tour guide and several residents who invited us to chat. At first, we only saw these menhirs, all of which stood firmly and looked very beautiful when viewed from a higher location. The menhirs are a symbol of respect for these high-ranking ancestors and hold a lot of fascinating history.
While looking at these menhirs, we also chatted and listened to many stories from the residents. Supplementing the guide's information, they told us that each stone standing firmly in this place has its own story, and its size symbolises the social status of the deceased.
Residents also said that they would continue to preserve this cultural heritage of menhirs with pride and respect. How cool are they, proud and willing to protect their culture that has been passed down for hundreds of years.
We saw several large and small menhirs. It turns out that the size of the stone symbolises the social status of the deceased. The larger the menhir, the higher the social status of the deceased. In addition, if smaller menhirs surround a large menhir, it indicates that they are close relatives of the owner of the large menhir.
In addition to the beautiful and meaningful menhirs at the Bori Parinding stone tomb, we also saw large stones inside the tourist area. It turns out that there are burial chambers inside them.
These giant stones are known as liang Pa. The bereaved family will place the body of their family member in the chambers provided in these huge stones.
In addition to the menhirs and giant stones for burial chambers, the Bori Parinding stone tomb area is also a place for the magnificent Toraja burial ceremony. This ceremony is a symbol of Indonesia's rich culture, which is still very well preserved.
Because it functions as a place for funeral ceremonies, at the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site, tourists will see several items and equipment used for funeral ceremonies.
These range from a lakian, which is a temporary resting place for the deceased before burial, to dolmens or long stone tables for performing funeral ceremonies. If you visit when someone has passed away, you can witness traditional death ceremonies such as the Rambu Solo ceremony firsthand.
We were allowed to walk around, take photos, and, of course, we did not violate any of the rules that had been explained to us beforehand.
After about 2-3 hours, satisfied with taking photos and listening to the history from the local community who welcomed us there, we finally decided to go home and continue to other tourist destinations in Toraja.
How to Get to Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site
Tourists can rent two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles to get to this place. The trip from Rantepao City, which is the centre of North Toraja, is approximately 9 KM or 30-40 minutes by two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle. The trip can be taken by passing through the Talung Lipu road to the centre of the Sesean area.
Visiting Hours for the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site
You can visit this place every day. As a suggestion, it is better to see in the morning or the afternoon because those are the best times to visit.
Entrance Ticket Price
The entrance fee is around IDR 10,000 - IDR 15,000. This price does not include the cost of a guide. Use a guide who is a resident. Not only will you contribute to the empowerment of the local community, but you will also get detailed and complete information about the history of the Bori Parinding stone tomb. This is because the guide knows the daily history of this place.
That was my experience visiting the Bori Parinding stone tomb. It was an extraordinary and meaningful experience. In addition to gaining knowledge and experience, visiting this place also made me realise how rich Indonesian culture is.
I am proud to be Indonesian. Has anyone ever visited the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site? Feel free to share your experience in the comments section.
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