ABSTRACT
In contrast to the geographic isolation and the fragmentary and incomplete knowledge about the actual content of indigenous law and governance in Seko, neighbouring Tana Toraja District has long been a preferred destination for anthropologists and ethnologists. Customs and traditions are distinguished by social hierarchy, spatial orientation, nuanced procedures and criteria for electing leaders, reverence for nature, syncretic belief systems, emphasis on the guiding role of local wisdom (kearifan lokal) in decision-making, as well as stipulations about communal relations, land distribution and the conduct of villagers. Nooy-Palm’s (1979) influential study demonstrates that it is not enough to envision a generalized ‘adat community’ in Toraja. Rather, it is necessary to differentiate between different social ranks, castes and lineages linked to the construction of ancestral houses (tongkonan) and the possession of sacred heirlooms.
