1.

Tongkonan Papa Batu

Lokasi

: Desa Banga, Rembon, Tana Toraja

Koordinat

: (-3.07041, 119.79464)

Sumber: Bing Map

The Magic of Papa Batu
It took us a long time to figure out how to get to Papa Batu. The tongkonan we were looking for was
located at the end of a walking trail, some 30 minutes from the main road in the centre of the village of
Rembon (Saluputti area). The trail is easily accessible, passing a long bamboo hanging bridge, it takes
you past lovely paddy fields, great views, and scattered houses and - as everywhere in Toraja - warm and
friendly people. After about 20 minutes, you arrive at the bottom of a stairway that leads you up to a truly
unique sight in Toraja: the Tongkonan with a stone roof. At first sight, this tongkonan does not seem to be
that special. Only after having scrutinised it carefully do you realise that this is something quite unique.

Underneath the roof, one can observe how the stone

tiles are held together by rattan.
Roofing
The rooves of most traditional tongkonans are made of either bamboo or wood (wooden tiles), including
the tongkonans in the centre of Makale. Nowadays, the roofs of most tongkonans are made of iron or zinc
sheeting, something that is considered as an eye-sore by most tourists. To the Toraja people, however, it is
an economic alternative to the laborious and more expensive roofs made of natural materials. The roof of
this tongkonan papa batu (Toraja language for 'stone roof') is made of stone that was quarried out of big

round rocks that are found all over Toraja. The most beautiful and well-known example of a stone grave
in Toraja is Lo'ko' Mata', located just a few kilometres west of Batutumonga'. This type of stone was used
to cover the roof of this tongkonan. A hole is made in the carefully sculpted 'tiles', and they are attached to
wooden planks by strings of rattan, as you may observe in the photograph on this page. Rattan is said to
be stronger than iron rod, since it does not rust or decay, providing that it is not exposed to the rain. Some
stone tiles have fallen to the ground and have never been replaced properly. Therefore, the upper part of
the roof is now covered with ordinary red roof-tiles.
Four Rooms
Papa Batu is believed to be over 250 years old, which makes it one of the oldest surviving tongkonans in
Toraja. Apart from its age and the unique roofing, the feature that makes this a special attraction, is that it
is the only known tongkonan with 4 rooms. Usually, the space inside a tongkonan is divided into three
rooms. Papa Batu, however, was special and belonged to a royal family called 'rajas'. The king used to
live in the 'state' room facing south, the pandung. Next to the royal room you find a room that was
occupied by the king's family, the so-called ninan.
As you enter the tongkonan, you see the central and biggest room, which was used for receiving guests or
as a place to put the coffin of a dead person before the funeral. This central room is called sali. On the
North side, you find the room that was inhabited by what people now euphemistically refer to as the
guard, but what used to be the slave(s), the Kaunan-people. This room is the smallest and is called
bondon.

The tongkonan seen from the north.

Magic Skull
In the sali, quite a dark room in the absence of windows, you will find a curious skull of a young buffalo
attached to a central pole against the wall. You will also see some rice ears hanging from it, dangling off
its horns. The guard from next door, a very sympathetic and helpful old man who still works for the
government, informed us that this skull has magic power. Until quite recently, this skull was used to cure
headaches. People suffering from headaches came to Papa Batu and offered a few rice ears to the skull. A
handful of water was put on top of the skull, and was gathered in the hands below. The water that had
passed the skull, had assumed magical powers whereby headache would disappear in an instant.
Kambean
In addition, what makes this an interesting and unique traditional Toraja house, is the fact that this
tongkonan has a central "royal" pole, called the Kambean in Toraja language, which is perhaps its most
unique feature. Normal tongkonans do not have this support in the centre. This sturdy and grayish pole

that supports the entire tongkonan can best be observed from the south side and is said to possess magic
powers as well.
There are stories of visitors who felt ill after touching the royal pole and entering the tongkonan without
having asked for permission. So, if you decide to venture out to Rembon, and visit the stone roofed
tongkonan, you had better call on the neighbour first.
Conservation
As was clear from the state of the roof, this tongkonan desperately needs repair. The stone tiles are not
replaced properly - as the tiles break when they fall on the ground - but also the carvings on this
tongkonan are withered, look pale and have lost colour. There used to be another of this type of
tongkonan just beside it, at the south side, but that one has fallen to pieces. If nothing is done about this,
the only remaining stone roof tongkonan will disappear forever.
Fortunately, however, there seem to be initiatives to conserve this tongkonan. Some NGOs within and
outside of Toraja have managed to allocate funds for the restoration of Papa Batu. It would be truly
shameful if Toraja's heritage is left to the whims of the gods and weather.
(http://www.toraja.net/culture/papabatu/index.html, diakses 1 Mei 2016, 8:43)

dari dalam rumah, terlihat papan batu dan rotan

yang mengikatnya..

kaki menapak di anak tangga kedua, sedangkan kepala diketukkan

pada jenang pintu..

keranjang, bambu (dulunya berisi papiong -masakan

Toraja-), keranjang gantung (berisi nasi), padi, daun
bambu dan kepala kerbau

tengkorak kerbau yang sudah sangat tua, disakralkan oleh

seluruh penghuni rumah. Air dikucurkan di atas
tengkorak ini sebagai obat.

tiang utama, yang terbesar, berfungsi untuk

mengikat kerbau hitam

pintu selatan, bagian belakang dari rumah. Pasak

kayu digeser, untuk pintu memasukkan kerbau di
bawah tongkonan

(sumber gambar: https://nanaharmanto.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/papa-batu-tongkonan-beratap-batu/)

LAYOUT DENAH TONGKONAN

(KEBANYAKAN) BUKAN
TONGKONAN PAPA BATU

Dalam kompleks rumah adat terdapat beberapa tipe unit bangunan yang masing- masing mempunyai
ukuran, bentuk dan lain-lain elemen arsitektural berbeda. Secara garis besar, dari segi fungsinya, terdapat
dua jenis bangunan adat berbeda. Tongkonan atau rumah untuk tempat tinggal dalam arti tidur, makan,
istirahat, di mana pada umumnya mempunyai tado'-tado' (teras depan), tado' (ruang tamu), ba'ba atau
tambing (ruang tidur) dan lambun (dapur). Jenis unit lainnya adalah alang se-macam lumbung berbentuk
mirip dengan tongkonan tetapi lebih kecil dan hanya terdiri dari satu ruang di atas untuk menyimpan padi.
Kuburan juga merupakan elemen penting dalam kehidupan masyarakat Toraja. Jenasah anggota
masyarakat Toraja yang meninggal tidak dikebumikan sebelum upacara kematian. Mayat sebelum
upacara kematian dianggap dan diperlakukan, disimpan dalam rumah atau tongkonan, diberimakan
seperti layaknya orang masih hidup. Upacara ritual kematian menurut adat Toraja cukup kompleks,
melibatkan semua masyarakat memakan waktu berhari-hari. Barulah acara terakhir dari upacara ritual
sangat kompleks tersebut jenasah dimakamkan sebetul- nya lebih tepat disemayamkan di lobang dipahat
di tebing atau lereng bukit membentuk semacam goa.