I traveled to Sulawesi twice to observe and photograph the death rituals there. While most of the modern-day Toraja people are Christian, animism is still very much a part of their culture. Death is the central concern for them and funerals take precedence over nearly every other familial event. Torajan families gain status by providing large and costly funerals for their loved ones.
The funeral itself, called Rambu Solo, involves the entire village, and can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the importance of the individual. The funeral festivities include prayers, dancing, singing, mourning, sacrifice of water buffalo, and even cockfights. It’s widely believed that the more water buffalo are slaughtered in honor of the deceased, the quicker the dead will be able to move with the herd to puya, the land of souls. The sacrifice of a water buffalo is a bloody spectacle which I photographed several times; once I was so close I got blood spatters on my camera lens. It’s not uncommon for tourists to be invited by a family to stay for the activities, as their presence boosts the family’s stature. My traveling companion and I found that to be the case. After having brought gifts like cigarettes and paying for a pig to be sacrificed, we were welcomed to feast with the family and were offered carte blanche to photograph all of the events openly.