Each region has a tradition of honoring the dead. In Tana Toraja ceremony known as Solo Signs'. In Tana Toraja itself has two large ceremonial Solo Signs' and Tuka Signs'. Solo Signs' is a funeral service, while signs of Tuka, is an opening ceremony of the new house custom or recently completed.
Solo Signs' is a very festive event that tradition in Tana Toraja, as it takes several days to celebrate. The ceremony is usually held in the daytime, when the sun began leaning to the west and it normally takes 2-3 days. Even up to two weeks for the nobility. Having made the tomb at the top of the cliff at an altitude of stone. According to the Aluk To Dolo trust (Tana Toraja people's first religion, before the arrival of Christianity and Islam) among the people of Tana Toraja, the higher the body where they are placed, then quickly his spirit came to nirvana.
This ceremony is for any community groups must be different. When the nobleman who died, then the number of buffalo which will be deducted for the purposes of the Ceremony much more than people who are not royal. For the royal family, the number of buffalo may range from 24 to 100 buffalo. While middle-class residents are required to kill 8 buffalo plus 50 pigs, and about 3 days long ceremony.
But, before the number was not enough, the body must not be buried on the cliffs or high places. Therefore, no body is rarely stored for years in Tongkonan (Toraja traditional house) until finally the family / the end of the deceased can prepare the sacrificial animals. But for Christians and Muslims today, the bodies may be buried in the ground first, then dig again after the family is ready to perform this ceremony.
For the people of Tana Toraja, the dead are not by themselves get the title of the dead. For them before the ceremony Rambu Solo the person who died was regarded as ill. Because of its status is still 'sick', then the person who died must be hospitalized and treated like a person who is still alive, like with him, providing food, beverages and tobacco or betel nut. Things are usually done by a spirit soul, must go on as usual.
Body removed from funeral home to the first tongkonan (tongkonan tammuon), which is where he originated tongkonan. 1st there was the slaughter of buffalo as an offering, or in a Toraja language "tedong Ma'tinggoro", a typical Toraja way of slaughtering, cutting buffalo with one machete blows. The massacre of buffalo tethered at a rock called "Stone Simbuang". After that, the buffalo have been slaughtered and the meat distributed to those present.
The body was in the first tongkonan (tongkonan tammuon) just one day, then the next day the body will be moved again to the top of barebatu tongkonan, and there, the procession along as same as in the first tongkonan, that is slaughter of buffalo and distributed to the meet to the public arround these tongkonan. The whole procession of events Rambu Solo 'is done on the afternoon.
The body was carried out using duba-duba (Toraja traditional coffin). In front of the duba-duba there is lamba-lamba (length of red cloth, usually located in front of the coffin, and the procession, the cloth was withdrawn by the women within the family).Accompany in a procession of the corpse to rante barebatu tongkonan conducted after worship and lunch. Only close relatives involved to carry the coffin. The man who lifted the coffin, while the women pull lamba-lamba.
In accompany procession there is an order needs to be done, at the first place we would see people carrying a huge of gong (traditional music intrumen), followed by a man carrying a Tompi saratu (like a banner), and just behind the Tompi saratu line there is a row of tedong (buffalo), followed by lamba-lamba than duba-duba in the last line.
The body will lie in state in rante (special field where the processionprocess took place), there has been prepared "Lantang"(temporary houses made of bamboo and wood) which has been given a number. Lantang itself serves as the residence relatives who came later. Because during the ceremony process they all did not return to their homes but remain in lantang that has been provided by families who are mourning.
Funeral procession finally arrived at rante which will be placed on lakkien (a tower where the corpse ware lie down during the procession in progress). The tower is the tallest building between another Lantang that was build on rante (field). Lakkien itself is made of bamboo trees to the shape of the traditional Toraja houses. The body was placed on lakkien before and later will be buried. In rante two buffaloes were ready to be felled.
After the dead body has arried lakkien, the next event is the reception area, the relatives who came from all over the country. On the evening after the reception procession was complete, followed by entertainment for all the family members and other invited guests who came, by exposing "ma'pasilaga tedong" (buffalo fight). How busy with the audience, because during the ceremony Rambu Solo ', adu ruminants are the long-awaited event, in the Solo signs ceremony ', the buffalo fighting is an event that been waiting by all guest.
During the next few days reception procession and buffalo figting was the main agenda of the solo ceremonial, reception continues to be exercised until all the guests were in a place that has been provided which is located at Lantang on the rante field. In the afternoon the buffalo fight keep continues, this is a popular entertainment for the people of Tana Toraja, until the day of burial. the body will buried on a cliff or in patane '(tombs of the traditional house-shaped wood).