A Toraja tribal Handcraft panel

A Toraja Tribal Handcraft Panel

Age : Circa 1930’

Size : 370 x146 x 8 cm

Description : This Toraja Panel called sa'de alang. Alang which is a Traditional Building from Toraja for Keep rice / paddies inside. In other words, rice Barn is called "Alang".

Alang / Rice Barn is Always stand facing the " Tongkonan". As we know, Tongkonan is Traditional house of Toraja Tribe, with their front gables towards the South. Tongkonan is the traditional ancestral house, in other words, Rumah adat of the Torajan people, in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Tongkonan have a distinguishing boat-shaped and oversized saddleback roof. Like most of Indonesia's Austronesian-based traditional architecture, tongkonan are built on piles.

Toraja Tribal Handcraft Panel 

Antique tongkonan constructed by laborious work and it is usually built with the help of all family members or friends.

In the original Toraja society, build a tongkonan cost alot of money. Therefore, only nobles had the right to build tongkonan. Likewise the nobles, Commoners live in smaller and less decorated homes called banua. Tongkonan are customarily built facing north-south.

Dominating the entire structure is the saddleback roof with gables that are dramatically upswept. Consequently, The internal space is small in comparison with the overwhelming roof structure that covers it.

Interiors are typically cramped and dark with few windows. However, most of daily life is lived outside the homes, with interiors simply intended for sleeping, storage, meetings and occasionally protection.

Platform Below the rice barn, is Used for sitting, Working, conversation / Gathering on Ceremonial, and many more funcition further. For instance, are used for sleeping ( when Funeral Ceremony held ).

The alang stands as a guardian of the harvest, a beacon of community unity, and a reminder of the timeless beauty of Toraja's cultural legacy.

"This Toraja tribal handcrafts Panel are perfect to be placed at back of the bed. In Addition, the grey background of the wall will be nice. As the Result, the color of the toraja panel carving are shown." Torayata 99