North Toraja Regency (Indonesia)

The Toraja culture is one of a kind.

Firstly there's the architecture. Like me, you'll be amazed by the rectangular houses with U-shaped roofs. Some people say they're a tribute to the sailboats that brought the Toraja people here (even though the sea's several miles away...), whilst others claim they represent bull horns - a symbol of strength and power.

And their rituals? Well, there are lots of rituals linked to death. For example it's tradition to place the bodies of dead, premature babies inside tree trunks. The belief is that the tree becomes the baby's surrogate mother, so that it may continue to grow inside the trunk. Touching or morbid, you'll draw your own conclusions; I prefer to sit on the fence and think of it as an unusual practice.