Tana Toraja (or Torajaland, or Land of the Toraja) is a regency (kabupaten) of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, home of Toraja ethnic group people. The local government seat is in Makale, where the center of Toraja culture is in Rantepao.
Tana Toraja boundary was determined by the Dutch East Indies government in 1909. In 1926, Tana Toraja was under the administration of Bugis state, Luwu. The regenschap (or regency) status was given on October 8, 1946, the last regency given by the Dutch. Since 1984, Tana Toraja has been named as the second tourist destination after Bali by the Ministry of Tourism, Indonesia. Since then, hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors have visited this regency. In addition to that, tens of Western anthropologists have come to Tana Toraja to study the indenous culture and people of Toraja.

Geography
Tana Toraja is located on the Sulawesi island, 300 km north of Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi. Its geographical location is between latitude of 2°-3° South and longitude 119°-120° East (center: 3° S 120° E). The total area is 3.205,77 km², about 5% of the South Sulawesi province. The topography of Tana Toraja is mountain area. The minimu elevation is 150 m, while the maximum is 3,083 above the sea level. [1]

The people of Tanah Toraja had no direct contact with the west until the twentieth century, when the Dutch gained control of this region. Toraja means 'men of the mountains' ; the people lived in isolation in their mountain homes for centuries. Islam never reached the Toraja. The best known Toraja are those in the southern region, the Sa'dan Toraja. Until the early 1900's when the Dutch mastered the Toraja and Christianized them, there were still headhunters among the Toraja. Their animist culture is one of many ceremonies, including the best known, those centered on the buffalo. This animal plays an important role in Toraja life; it is a status symbol and also a sacrificial symbol slaughtered during religious ceremonies such as funerals. For the consecration of a new 'Tongkonan' or traditional house, large numbers of buffaloes might be slaughtered. Expensive Tongkonan houses are still built and used in the traditional ways.
Another Tanah Toraja attraction is the 'Tao Tao,' hanging cliff graves that are cut from the rocks as a way to prevent the common crime of grave plundering. Although most Toraja are now Christian (thanks to Dutch missionaries) their animist traditions continue to infuse their culture.