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other cultural similarities between he Toraja and the populations of the Bada give this theory at least some credibility. The Bada insisted on burying their dead with the head owards the west, even after their conversion to Christianity, and the Toraja erected megaliths as part of heir burial ceremonies until not too ong ago. The Bada as well as the Toraja sacrifice water buffaloes for he spirits of their deceased. Muddy Trips to the Megaliths Walking in the Bada Valley is wet and muddy, except during the period from June to August. A Jeep track connects several villages; wide footpaths connect the rest of them. Most small rivers have logs over them as bridges, but crossing Sungai Malei with water up to your waist will need some skills. Some megaliths can be reached from the paths, but others require walking through rice fields and sometimes through knee-deep mud. People on Nias Island, off Sumatra, Indonesia, move a megalith to a construction site circa 1915. (Photo: Tropenmuseum) Walking through the rice fields looking for megaliths also provides a good lesson in irrigation techniques. You will see water buffaloes which "ventilate" the soil of the rice fields. After ploughing, the rice—which is grown for 40 days—is replanted. After that, a system of three wet days and three irrigated days ensues, followed by harvest at the end. The four species of rice that are grown here have different growing times. 00 About the Introduction’s Author: David Hatcher Childress has a career spanning more than three decades as an independent researcher, explorer, author and filmmaker. He has written/published numerous books and presented/produced many documentaries on ancient civilisations and advanced technologies under the banner of his company, Adventures Unlimited Press. He is a co-star on the TV channel History’s Ancient Aliens series, and is in demand as a conference speaker and as a guest on popular TV and radio programs. His previous contribution to NEXUS is “The Mystery of the Olmec Civilisation” (I5/Ol). His latest book The Enigma of Cranial Deformation (co-written with Brien Foerster) is reviewed in this issue (19/04). David is the founder of the World Explorers Club, based in Kempton, Illinois, USA, and publishes its World Explorer magazine. From 29 June to 10 July 2012, he is leading an expedition to the Bada Valley megaliths. For more information, visit the websites Megalithic statue near Lake Lindu, Central Sulawesi. http://wexclub.com, http://adventuresunlimitedpress.com (Photo: www.touristspot.ruvenga.com) and http://DavidHatcherChildress.com. Walking through the rice fields looking for megaliths also provides a good lesson in irrigation techniques. You will see water buffaloes which "ventilate" the soil of the rice fields. After ploughing, the rice—which is grown for 40 days—is replanted. After that, a system of three wet days and three irrigated days ensues, followed by harvest at the end. The four species of rice that are grown here have different growing times. 00 About the Introduction’s Author: David Hatcher Childress has a career spanning more than three decades as an independent researcher, explorer, author and filmmaker. He has written/published numerous books and presented/produced many documentaries on ancient civilisations and advanced technologies under the banner of his company, Adventures Unlimited Press. He is a co-star on the TV channel History’s Ancient Aliens series, and is in demand as a conference speaker and as a guest on popular TV and radio programs. His previous contribution to NEXUS is “The Mystery of the Olmec Civilisation” (15/01). His latest book The Enigma of Cranial Deformation (co-written with Brien Foerster) is reviewed in this issue (19/04). David is the founder of the World Explorers Club, based in Kempton, Illinois, USA, and publishes its World Explorer magazine. From 29 June to 10 July 2012, he is leading an expedition to the Bada Valley megaliths. For more information, visit the websites http://wexclub.com, http://adventuresunlimitedpress.com and http://DavidHatcherChildress.com. JUNE - JULY 2012 NEXUS ¢ 63 www.nexusmagazine.com