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The island of
Sulawesi has been inhabited by people since
about 30,000 years ago. This fact is proven
by the sign found in caves near the limestone
hills not far from Maros town which is about
thirty kilometers northeast of Strait of Sulawesi
(Makassar), capital city of South Sulawesi
province. Because of the rich history, tourist
attractions in South Sulawesi is something
that is not to be missed by visitors visiting
this part of Indonesia.
There is a
possibility that the oldest civilization in this
island was at Walennae Valley, a place between
Soppeng and Sengkang where tools were made of
pebble and flake were found. Fossils from the
extinct species of pigs, deers and elephants
were also found around this area. During the
golden ages of spice trade in the 15th till the
19th centuries, South Sulawesi played a role as
the gate to Mollucan Island, also known as the
land of spices.
South Sulawesi is
inhabited by four main ethnic groups: Bugis,
Makassar, Mandar and Toraja. The first three
ethnic groups have been known as a patriotic and
brave sailors both during and after the war was
over. With their traditional sailing boats, they
sail across the seas of Indonesia to the
northern part of Australia, islands in Pacific
Ocean and the African coast. The Toraja people is
well known with their specific culture. It can
be seen in their death ceremonial, traditional
houses with arch-shaped roofs and beautiful
carvings with natural colors. Because of these
four different ethnic groups in South Sulawesi,
the places of interest in South Sulawesi is
filled with incredible cultural elements of
these unique groups.
Geographically, the
prehistory and history of South Sulawesi creates
very interesting cultural elements. One can see
and enjoy the uniqueness of this culture, such
as ceremonials, traditional dances, carvings,
beautiful weaving from cotton and silk and the
fascinating natural tropical scenery.
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