This closure lasted only a few days, as the villagers found it too difficult to survive without the income from selling souvenirs. Tourism has also transformed Toraja society. Originally, there was a ritual which allowed commoners to marry nobles ("puang") and thereby gain nobility for their children. However, the image of Torajan society created for the tourists, often by "lower-ranking" guides, has eroded its traditional strict hierarchy. High status is not as esteemed in Tana Toraja as it once was. Many low-ranking men can declare themselves and their children nobles by gaining enough wealth through work outside the region and then marrying a noble woman.