This traditional Toraja wedding ceremony is quite unique, so
it can make many people curious. Tana Toraja is famous for its natural tourist
destinations and strong culture.
So, this really attracts the attention of foreign tourists.
This time we will discuss unique facts about traditional wedding ceremonies
from Tana Toraja, namely as follows.
Get to know the uniqueness of traditional Toraja wedding
ceremonies
Uniquely, in this traditional Toraja wedding ceremony, the
bride and groom do not need to hold a religious wedding. However, marriages can
be legalized by respected traditional leaders. This process is usually called
Aluk Rampanan Kapa’.
So, what is Rampana Kapa’? This custom is a party at a
Toraja wedding. The bride and groom will wear traditional Toraja clothing
during the wedding procession. Another term for Rampanan Kapa’ is Rambu Tuka.
In Toraja traditional wedding ceremonies there is still a
caste system. This is usually used to determine the continuity of a wedding
party according to class.
So, the types of wedding parties are divided into 3, namely
those held by the highest caste, middle caste and lowest caste. To understand
more deeply, see the detailed explanation regarding caste in Toraja traditional
marriages.
Types of Toraja Traditional Wedding Ceremonies Based on
Caste.
As already explained, traditional Toraja wedding ceremonies
are divided into three based on caste. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not
binding, but it all depends on the abilities and wishes of the bride and groom.
So, for those of you who are curious about the various
traditional wedding ceremonies carried out by the Toraja tribe, please pay
attention to the following explanation.
1. Rompo Allo Wedding Customs
Rampo Allo is the highest caste in traditional Toraja
wedding parties. Usually those who hold the Rompo Allo traditional ceremony are
Toraja people of royal blood. Rampo Allo is carried out in stages and takes
quite a long time.
The earliest stage is the application ceremony which is
carried out directly according to Toraja custom. The prospective groom’s family
will later come to the prospective bride’s house.
This was done in order to carry out an investigation. The
groom will ensure that the prospective bride is truly single and has not been
proposed to by someone. After that, proceed to the next stage, namely the
application procession. During the application procession, the groom’s family
will send a representative to bring Umba Pangan or betel nut.
If these stages have been completed, the bride and groom can
immediately hold a traditional and religious wedding. In this traditional
wedding party, there will be music and dancing to accompany the bride and groom
walking down the aisle.
2. Rompo Karoeng Wedding Customs
The traditional Toraja wedding ceremony in Rompo Karoeng is
usually used by middle caste Toraja people. The Rompo Karoeng wedding party is
usually held at the bride’s house in the afternoon.
There are quite a lot of traditional arrangements, one of
which is equipped with a wedding rhyme to make the event more lively.
However, before the wedding party takes place, the bride and
groom must carry out several stages first.
It starts with the man sending several representatives to
bring betel to the bride. If the woman has accepted the proposal, the next step
is to determine the traditional wedding ceremony.
3. Rompo Bobo Bonang Wedding Customs
Rompo Bobo Bonang is a traditional ceremonial party held by
the lowest caste in Toraja society.
This traditional ceremony is only carried out for 1 day. In
general, the traditional Rompo Bobo Bonang wedding procession is carried out at
night.
The men’s entourage will come to the woman’s residence. This
is done by asking permission from the woman’s family to marry her. If approval
has been obtained, both parties will immediately hold a dinner banquet.
Thus the discussion regarding the uniqueness of traditional
Toraja wedding ceremonies. As has been explained, even in traditional wedding
ceremonies, the Toraja government still uses the caste system. Even so, the
legalization of the marriage between the bride and groom is still the same,
only the wedding party is different.