Kete Kesu, Traditional village in Tana Toraja, Indonesia.
Kete Kesu is a traditional village in Tana Toraja featuring ancestral houses called tongkonan, built as elevated wooden structures with distinctive curved roofs resembling boat shapes. The facades display buffalo horns and reflect architectural practices passed down through generations.
The settlement developed as a Toraja community with architectural and cultural practices preserved across centuries. Ancient burial grounds within limestone cliffs contain wooden effigies that have guarded these ancestral tombs for generations.
The settlement maintains traditional funeral ceremonies where water buffalo play a central role in multi-day rituals honoring the deceased. These practices remain an active part of daily life and are observable during visits to the community.
The settlement is best explored on foot, as pathways between houses are narrow and vehicle access is limited. Visit during drier months when roads are most accessible and walking conditions are easiest.
The tongkonan house facades display rows of stacked buffalo horns, with each horn representing a completed funeral ceremony held by that family. This visible collection tells the story of a family's lineage and standing within the community.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
