In preparation for an upcoming trip to Borneo and Sulawesi I’ve started going through some of my old images from previous visits. I took this photograph a little over ten years ago, in the Tana Toraja region on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This is Rantepao buffalo market, known as Bolu market. In years gone by, Tana Toraja highlands were known for their trade in slaves, guns and coffee. Fortunately nowadays only the coffee trade remains. The Toraja people are known for their cave cemeteries high on cliff faces. Funerals of wealthy individuals involve the slaughter of numerous buffalo and pigs, buffalo considered essential to assist in the journey to the afterlife. A small buffalo may sell for around 5 million Indonesian Rupiah (~300USD). As in other parts of SE Asia the rarer white buffalo are much prized and will fetch many times this sum. This young lad will probably be in his late teens now. On that day he did not have the best of jobs, shoveling buffalo dung while wearing flipflops. So if you’re having a bad day today, think of him. It’s been ten years last in either Borneo or Sulawesi, it will be interesting to see how much life has changed in the intervening years.
If you enjoyed this blog please consider subscribing. You can do this using the simple subscribe form
Other blogs of mine
You may also enjoy: Laos Stories
Fine Art Prints and ready to hang Canvas Gallery Wrap prints
So Here’s the sales pitch. If you like my stories and images you might be interested in viewing my canvas wrap prints, fine art prints, posters, all available direct from the photographer (that would be me) stock images (and more stories) on my main site: www.colinmunrophotography.com
I’ve just added this photograph to my collection of canvas gallery wrap prints for sale. Canvas wrap prints, also known as ‘gallery wrap’ are where the canvas is stretched over a wooden frame (known as stretcher bars) and wraps around. Thus the image goes all the way to the edge. They arrive ready to hang, with no additional framing required. My canvas prints are archival quality (not to be confused with cheap, mass produced canvas prints) using state of the art pigment ink technology. Tests indicate such prints are fade free for 100+ years out of direct sunlight.
No Comments Yet