This interesting artifact (dating from the early 20th century) once belonged to a medicine man of the Toraja tribe, who wore it around his neck to collect and store a variety of herbal remedies. Made of carved wood and bone with a hollowed-out interior, it comes with a wooden stopper that fits into the opening of the container. Whether displayed on the wall or in a curio cabinet, this rare import will make for a wonderful conversation piece for the discriminating collector!

Dimensions and Weight:
6.5″ (width) × 5″ (height) × 2.5″ (depth)
12 oz. (0.34 kg)

This traditional design depicts "the sun and its rays."
(Click to enlarge. Close image with [esc] key.)

About the Toraja Tribe

Pa'barre allo
("the sun and its rays.")

The Toraja people are an ethnic group inhabiting the mountainous southern region of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. The word toraja means "people of the uplands."

Since it is only spoken, the Torajan language has no formal writing system. For that reason, the Toraja people use wood carving (or pa'ssura) to express their deepest cultural, social, and religious concepts. Common features of Toraja wood carving are regularity and order, and thus abstract geometrical designs abound in their woodcarving. Nature, which is full of orderly geometries, is frequently invoked in their ornamental designs. For example, the design on this medicine box is called pa'barre allo ("the sun and its rays").

Known not only for their skilled wood carvings, but also for their elaborate funeral rites and large peaked-roof houses, most Torajans practiced polytheistic animism until the beginning of the 20th century; most are now Christians or Muslims, but still maintain many of their traditional ways. One of their most important deities (and there are many of them) is Indo' Belo Tumbang, the goddess of medicine.

Young Toraja girls in traditional dress at a wedding ceremony
[photo by Yves Picq]

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