Show us your Dua Lalan

[JeffS]

Originally Posted by David R

Thank you for showing these, not seen anything like them before.

They are quite interesting. Apparently the Torajan language does not have a written form but they make extensive use of precise symbols which carry meaning that is passed on orally. I've attached an example panel of symbols. After looking at a number of dua lalan I'm starting to suspect new symbols are added over time, perhaps to record significant events. I believe Detlef has one that clearly shows a carving that was added later on the field (on part that looks like a hornbill's beak) that is blank in my example above.