The Cultural Charm of the Bugis Ethnic Group That You Should Be Aware Of

The Cultural Charm of the Bugis Ethnic Group That You Should Be Aware Of –  The Bugis ethnic group is the majority ethnic group in South Sulawesi, predominantly residing in the districts of Maros and Pangkajene. The majority of the Bugis community adheres devoutly to the Islamic faith. Prior to that, they believed in the existence of a single deity.

The Cultural Charm of the Bugis Ethnic Group That You Should Be Aware Of

surlerythme – The Bugis community demonstrates deep reverence for their customs, traditions, and culture. The entirety is considered sacred and must be approached with whole-hearted dedication. The following is a list of Bugis cultural practices that one should be aware of.

Traditional House
Residence Souraja
The traditional architecture of the Bugis ethnic group features elevated houses reminiscent of structures commonly found in Southeast Asia. The majority of materials utilized consist of wood, including for the roofing area. The traditional houses of the Bugis ethnic group are divided into two types based on the social status of the occupants. Souraja House is a spacious residence occupied by the nobility. The elevated house occupied by the general public is known as Bola.

Generally, this traditional house comprises three main sections: the upper, middle, and lower parts. The upper part serves as the covering section, while the middle part is utilized for dwelling purposes. Meanwhile, the lower section of the house or veranda is utilized for storing agricultural or fishing tools. Occasionally, homeowners also place pets in the lower section.

Interestingly, the traditional house of the Bugis tribe can be easily dismantled and reassembled. This is due to the fact that in its wood structure, only buttresses (fattoppo and fadongko) are used without any connecting elements.

2. Ceremonial Ascension of Tojang.
The cultural practice of the Bugis tribe is initially performed on infants. When the baby begins to be swung, their family will conduct a swing ritual known locally as “Naik Tojang. ” In the process of ascending the swing, lime betel paste will be applied on the swing.

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Prior to placing the baby in the cradle, it is preceded by the insertion of a broomstick, a cat, and a grinding stone. Subsequently, the items were removed and cleaned. Subsequently, the baby will be placed in the cradle to be put to sleep.

The baby swing utilized is a yellow fabric suspended by a rope. In the assembly of ropes with fabric, it is necessary to hang bananas and chili peppers. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the swing, there should be a bottle filled with plain water that has been inscribed with Lam Jalalah (lam alif) on both sides. For your information, Lam Jalalah is a letter Lam found in the pronunciation of Allah.

The aforementioned statement reads as “Makkuluhuwallah”.
The next local tradition that is still preserved by the Bugis community is the funeral ritual, Makkuluhuwallah. The series of events spanned over a period of seven nights, commencing after the burial of the deceased. Although it is a ritual, in practice it involves the recitation of the Quran. This ritual is believed to have originated in the 1980s and was initiated by a local religious figure.

The naming of the ritual Makkuluhuwallah itself is derived from the first verse of Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwallahu) which contains the affix “ma”. This is a component of the Bugis language and is subsequently connected with Qul Huwallahu, signifying the recitation of Surah Al-Ikhlas.

Typically, on the first day of the ritual implementation, families will gather the children from the Islamic boarding school. Subsequently, the recitation of the Qur’an will be continued by the attendees in order to console the grieving family. Not only parents, but children are also encouraged to participate in this tradition.

Remarkably, each individual who has recited a surah in this event will receive a gift as a token of gratitude for their presence and sincerity in praying for the deceased individual.

The ritual of Mappadendang.
Mappadendang.
The Ritual of Mappadendang is a traditional harvesting ceremony of the Bugis community that is obligatory for all farmers to partake in. The farmers will pound the rice in a long mortar called a palungeng. Typically, burrowing owls have between six and twelve burrows. An “alu” is utilized for the purpose of pounding rice.

During the ritual, each rice thresher must dress up and wear the traditional Bugis attire known as Baju Bodo. In the past, this ritual was carried out across almost all regions of South Sulawesi when the harvest season arrived.

Unfortunately, this tradition has started to be abandoned, despite some regions still preserving it. In addition to expressing joy over the abundant harvest yields, the Mappadendang ritual is consistently conducted to preserve the cultural heritage of the ancestors. This ritual is performed for three consecutive nights.

The main components of this ritual are carried out by six women and three men, either individually or in pairs. They will then proceed to husk the rice grains in the mortar and pestle, accompanied by the rhythm of the tambourine, the plucking of the zither, and the distinctive sound of the Bugis tribe’s bamboo flute. In the Bugis ethnic culture, the social strata between landowners and laborers is considered equal.

Due to its significance, several local governments have incorporated the Mappadendang harvest ritual as an annual program in the regional tourism calendar. In addition to preserving cultural values, it is also hoped that it will attract the interest of tourists.

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The fifth item on the agenda is the topic of marriage.
Bugis ethnic wedding
The Bugis tribal wedding ritual comprises elaborate procedures and entails considerable financial expenses. In order to marry the girl of his dreams, a man must provide a certain amount of dowry and bride price. When the amount of dowry and bride price given is substantial, the man’s efforts are perceived as more diligent.

In addition to the dowry and bride price, several rituals must also be performed by the prospective bride and groom before entering the marital union. The first ritual is called Ma ‘Manu’-manu’. The prospective groom will visit the home of the parents of the prospective bride to seek permission to marry their daughter. Should the proposal be accepted, at this juncture, there will be a discussion regarding the amount of dowry and bridal gift to be provided.

Following this, the engagement ceremony will be conducted. The prospective groom will be accompanied by both of his parents to propose to the prospective bride. This ritual cannot be performed until there is an agreement within the Ma’manu-manu ritual.

The next step involves the Ma’pacci ritual. This ritual typically takes place in the evening, at the respective homes of the betrothed individuals, and is conducted in order to seek blessings from their families and close friends. The bestowal of blessings is traditionally symbolized by the application of pacci or henna on the hands of each betrothed individual.

Typically, during the interlude of the ritual, the host will narrate a poignant story regarding the emotions of parents who will be left by their children or vice versa.

The second marriage of the couple will be solemnized with the recitation of the marriage vows. Subsequently, it will proceed to the pinnacle of the wedding ritual, which is the celebration. In addition to being held in a festive manner, a wide variety of food dishes are served. All invited guests, family, and relatives will attend to celebrate the new life of the couple.