Ma'katia Dance: Traditional Dance in the Death Ritual of the Torajan People Culture

The origin of the Ma’katia dance art in Rambu Solo’ is not known for certain and known from previous ancestors as a tradition inherited from the ancestors of the Toraja people.

There are many ways to reveal the patterns of life or the human journey. Traditional art is often used as a medium of expression to reveal this.

As part of a tradition, dance is maintained by a community or ethnic group and passed down from generation to generation. Just as knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, norms, and other customs are acquired from previous societies, so are dances.

Culture is a multifaceted, abstract, and broad way of life. Many cultural influences impact communication behavior. This sociocultural aspect is widespread and encompasses various forms of art, one of which is dance.

Dance plays a vital role in human life because it offers numerous benefits. Among other things, it can be used for entertainment and communication. Given its location, dance can survive, develop, and keep pace with the times.

Dance cannot be judged solely on the beauty of its movements. This is a widely held belief that a dance can only be considered beautiful if it is performed by an attractive dancer, with beautiful body movements, and so on. However, the symbolism or message contained within the dance is sometimes overlooked.

The existence of traditional dance within a community can be considered part of an ethnic group’s cultural identity. In Indonesia, there are various traditional dances performed by individuals and groups. One such dance is performed by the Toraja people.

Toraja, a region rich in traditions and rituals, also boasts a number of traditional dances. One of these is Ma’katia. Ma’katia is a cultural treasure of the Toraja people, performed during the rambu solo’ death ritual.

Ma’katia is a dance performed by a group of women (between 6-12 people or even more) wearing traditional clothing and adorned with sa’pi (a miniature Torajan house) placed on the head along with kandaure (a collection of beads strung together and placed on the dancer’s shoulders).

Ma’katia is performed in the rambu solo’ ritual for those who are considered noble as a welcoming dance for guests who attend the ritual.

The ma’katia dance or in Toraja language expression is called gellu’ pa’katia. In terms of terminology, gellu’ is the verb for “dancing” (swinging the arms by flexing while moving the wrists), pa’ is the actor or person who performs, and katia is a song. So, ma’katia is a person who performs a dance while singing song lyrics.

Ma’katia is a unique dance performed to the accompaniment of songs or poems called bating. Bating is an expression of grief or lamentation over the death of a person, depicted in poems containing the deceased’s life story, ritualized through crying or wailing.

The origin of the Ma’katia dance art in Rambu Solo’ is not known for certain and is only known from previous ancestors as a tradition inherited from the ancestors of the Toraja people.

The emergence of the Ma’katia dance in the Rambu Solo’ (Solo) ceremony in Toraja society is known only through previous ancestors tradition. This dance essentially originates from the indigenous Toraja belief system, Aluk Todolo.

According to thelocal ancestral beliefs of the Toraja people, the ma’katia dance was created in the sky. It is believed that, long ago, life existed in the heavens, just as it does on earth.

Ma’katia was then brought down to earth by the ancestors or first Toraja people known as To Manurun Di Langi’.

Basically, there are various forms or movements of the ma’katia dance, including:

Disoyang badong. The opening movement, accompanied by words or poetry, serves as a form of respect for all mourners present. This part is known as the introduction or Torajan custom before beginning an event by offering greetings. The Toraja people interpret the various types of disoyan badong as a symbol of fragility due to being overcome by grief. This movement, evident in the dancers’ interlocking hands, demonstrates the ma’pasikala taruno, a movement known as “ma’pasikala taruno.” This movement teaches Torajans the importance of embracing one another, especially during times of grief. This movement also serves as a reminder for grieving families about the existence of God and relatives who always support them. In this movement, the dancers stand parallel or what is called ma’dandan, which means that in God’s eyes they are equal, there is no dichotomy between rich or poor, old or young, male or female, because all will return to Him.
Pa’gellu’. A gesture interpreted as praise and flattery, expressing gratitude to the guests present.
Pa’sisula’ sirrin. This gesture is a sign of respect for the guests in attendance. It signifies the diversity in Torajan tradition, demonstrating that social strata are no barrier to the rambu solo’ ritual.
Pa’para-para. An expression that the traditional rituals performed are essentially dedicated to the Creator.
Pa’bone balla’. A movement performed as a tribute to the tribes surrounding Toraja, specifically the Bugis and Balla’.
Pa’panduru Dalle. The dance movements contain a sequence of requests or prayers addressed to Puang Matua (God Almighty).
Pa’massimanna. An expression of gratitude and thanks from the family that has been prayed for and expressed with money (ma’toding) placed on the dancers’ heads.
Pa’kapala moyong. This movement indicates that the person being celebrated is a member of a noble family.
Pa’illalla’. A movement that reminds all relatives, family, and mourners present to ensure that the ongoing death ritual can be passed down from generation to generation.
Pa’pondan. A final salute before the dancers conclude their dance. This movement is interpreted as a hope for the deceased’s happiness in the afterlife, as well as an expression of gratitude to God and all the mourners present.