About our class name:

On the south-western arm of the island of Sulawesi is Tanatoraja, the land of the Toraja people. Their name means 'mountain people'. They are farming people who grow rice, coffee and vegetables, and raise pigs, chickens and dogs for food. Water buffalo are sacred and a form of wealth to the Toraja people, so they are killed only for special festivals. About 500,000 Toraja live in Sulawesi. They combine ancient beliefs and myths with recent cultural influences. They are Christians but maintain ancient customs honoring spirits and ancestors with their lavish funeral ceremonies.