One of the more remote and culturally distinct people I have visited was, ironically enough, in the crowded melting pot of Indonesia. In the central highlands of Sulawesi, a large orchid-shaped island formerly known as the Celebes, are the Tana Toraja people. Isolated by the sea and hemmed in by imposing mountains, the Toraja have lived for centuries in a rigidly stratified caste system ruled by a small nobility. They have long resisted outside influence. And though the modern world, with roads, cell phones, and fast food is knocking at the door, the ancient past is still gloriously present here. This is most evident in their religion, a blend of Christianity and ancestor worship nestled within a nation of Islam, with hedonistic ceremonies that celebrate life, and most especially death.

From a lofty vantage point Tarajaland is like gazing over a giant golf course with a hundred thousand groundskeepers scurrying to and fro while buffalo peacefully graze about (see photo above). Every square inch is meticulously crafted by the hand of man. Laced with footpaths, manicured rice terraces, and islands of bamboo and palm trees, there is something serene and enchanting about this emerald enclave. It was as if I had stumbled upon Shangri-la. Only the plane was missing. (next photo)