Culture of Sulawesi Island. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

If you like exotic things, visit the Torajaland. Here you will see the surprisingly shaped houses of the local people, which were built, using the same technologies, their ancestors had, and a unique cemetery. In fact, Sulawesi is definitely at the top by the amount of beautiful, unusual and stunning ceremonial places, related to death. They bury the dead in the grottos, hollowed out in the caves. Some of the rich and respected dead men get their own doll, which symbolizes them. In the virgin forest you may find hundreds of graves of children, men, and women, which hang on trees or on special poles, struck in the rocks.

There are also underground burials. By the way, in the virgin forest, you may find the Indonesian Romeo and Juliette. The legend says, a young man and a girl fell in love with each other, but they couldn’t be together, because they belonged to the same clan. But they found a way – they hanged themselves together. Their skulls still remain near each other. Are you still not tired from the death theme? Then visit the Royal Cemetery in Suraya or Stone Graves in Lemo. Those two ancient funeral places will impress anyone. There is a unique atmosphere of the dead and alive worlds meeting. Finally, everyone, who wants to fill the local color in full, should visit the Londa burial caves. This is also a cemetery.

After taking a good look at the Tau-Tau dolls, going up the steep stone stairs, you will find yourself in a real realm of death. Pick up a torch or an oil lamp, which will make the atmosphere even more extraordinary, and go inside the cave. Here, in the total darkness, hundreds of mummies sleep forever. Narrow halls, amulets and gifts to the dead, total silence and darkness behind this circle of light – you won’t get such feelings in any Chamber of Horrors. If you don’t have a lot of nerve, decide, whether you want to test your psyche this way. You will definitely remember this place for a long time. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

But let’s finally get away from cemeteries and all about them. On Sulawesi, you can visit Fort Rotterdam. A Holland foothold to control the island was constructed in the 17th century. It has never been taken over since then, and thus, is perfectly preserved until today. Here you can also visit La Galigo Museum, where they have hundreds of different pieces, from old maps to stone tools from prehistoric times. Paotere Harbor will win the heart of those, who love the sea. Every day thousands of small boats land, tack, go out to the sea and come back with the haul. A harbor visit is a perfect opportunity to find out about the peculiarities of shipbuilding in Sulawesi.

In the suburbs of Makassar you may find ancient cave paintings, remained from the first settlements. If you like animals, visit Tangkoko-Batuangus-Dua Saudara National Park – you will see rare for other parts of the world tarsiers and phalangers. On a black volcanic sand beach you may meet a Celebesian black ape. Unique birds live on the territory of Bogani Nani Wartabone park. Here you may find a maleo, a Green-backed Kingfisher and an Ashy Woodpecker. The island is usually visited by those, who want to feel the unique atmosphere of primitive beliefs, remained better than those of civil people. The sightseeing of Sulawesi is inextricably linked to the peculiar culture and animalistic beliefs of the local people, which don’t have equivalents anywhere in the world.