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THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SULAWESI DANCING

From the point of view of social structure, Indonesian dances have generally undergone the same course of development. In the period of Primitive Society dances in the whole of Indonesia were simple in form, sacred or holy and magic in nature.

CEREMONIAL DEAT DANCE

Most of the ceremonial death dances are found in South and Central Sulawesi. The most important among their are Ma'badong Dance, the Mamarakka Dance, the Padondan Dance, the Ma'randing Dance and the Magellu' Dance.

THE MA'BADONG DANCE. This is danced by men who sing while they dance. It is performed when a member of the family dies and the purpose is to make the soul feel at home in the world of the souls.

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THE MA'MARAKKA DANCE. It is danced by girls and young men who sing while they dance. It is performed when a member of the family dies.

THE MASSALLO' DANCE. ' This also a death-dance and is danced by young men and women who while dancing play with handkerchief they carry in their hands.

THE PA'DONDAN DANCE. This is a rather cheerful death-dance which is held after the family of the deceased have slaughtered buffaloes as offerings. The dancers are girls and young men who clap their hands while dancing.

THE MA'RANDING DANCE. The word maranding comes from the word randing meaning to glorify while dancing. This dance is held to praise the courage and strength of the ' deceased when still alive. It is danced by several men, each carrying large shield and
sword. This ceremonial dance is also a war-dance because each dancer shows his skill in handling the weapons. The Maranding dance is danced at the ceremony held when the coffin is carried to the cave in the mountain rock. The dancers also accompany the corpse to his permanent resting place.

THE MA'GELLU' DANCE. This is danced by women who sing while they dance. It is held to please the soul of the deceased in his permanent abode.
The people were formerly able to hold these grand ceremonies with many different dances and dozens of buffalo offerings were the rich only; for the poor, the ceremony was very simple. It was the Torajas from Central Sulawesi who used to perfom these ceremonial death-dances.