Erong, Toraja Wooden Coffin

Erong is a kind of coffin that can be opened at any time according to custom to store the bones of a family family. So Erong is a chest where the bones of the dead are collected in a clump which is usually kept in caves. When the bones are stored to be combined with the bones that have been stored in advance, they must go through a ceremony according to local customs. This thing is only owned by noble people in Toraja. There are various forms of Erong, such as buffalo, pigs and some that resemble boats. Buffaloes and pigs are the main pets of the Toraja people and the tool boats carried by Toraja ancestors, this erong is generally ± 2 1/3 meters long, ± 70 cm wide and ± 61 cm deep.

Buffalo-shaped erong is a type of erong that is intended for male corpses. Erong buffalo has the meaning that buffalo are often used by the Tana Toraja community as a tool that helps in agricultural activities and identical agricultural activities are carried out by men as their livelihood, such as plowing the fields so that buffalo are said to have become part of the life of the deceased.

Pig-shaped erong is a type of erong that is intended for female corpses. According to public belief, the shape of erong pig means that women support men’s income in raising pigs, which means that during their lifetime women are more skilled in raising pigs, which is a characteristic of Toraja society itself.

Erong in the form of a boat is the first type of erong made and is intended for corpses who are already married during their lifetime. Erong boat which has a long horn shape indicates that the corpse is male while Erong boat which has a short horn shape indicates that the corpse is female.