bissu "invinsible feminism"

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Piercing shriek could be heard in the middle of mappasili rituals. That shriek group of people who act feminine. Occasionally they are cut with a sharp weapon to their own bodies. But no injuries even without a trace. That is the attraction of the bissu.

Mappasili is a customary ritual that marks the Bugis community began planting season. This ritual was led bissu. Bissu indeed look and behave like women. But they are immune to sharp weapons. Because it is interesting attractions.

In the ritual, the cleaning bissu agricultural implements such as hoes and machetes. They carried the tools were around before finally cleansed and purified. As they parade around the show's magic attraction.

Bissu, human kind is that?

Traditional Bugis society has five types of gender. Australian author, Sharyn Graham, in a research report titled Sex, Gender and Priests in South Sulawesi, Indonesia (2002), said the classification of gender in South Sulawesi were male (oroane), women (makunrai), women who look like men ( calalai), men who look like women (Calabai), and paragender (bissu).

In popular language is called trans-gender. Bissu is cultural heritage in pre-Islamic South Sulawesi. Sharyn mentioned as gender bissu because bissu truly transcendent is pastor. Despite their graceful movements, has a side bissu masculinity, which is carrying a machete and Badik or martial arts expert. Even they have a supernatural power.

In addition to acting as liaison between the king, man, and gods in the days of empire, bissu also considered sacred. In the Bugis language, means bissu holy man who is not menstruating and not bleeding. Sacred because they are pastors. No periods because even as their women are men. No bleeding because their bodies can not penetrate metal or tin.

Because of their ability to extraordinary bissu entrusted by the king to keep royal heritage. The existence of royal heritage today are not separated from the role of bissu.

Today, the community increasingly rare bissu. However, in certain rituals, sometimes appears bissu. Especially if the ritual objects associated with the presence of royal heritage. As in bissu appearance in District Mappasili ritual Segeri, Pangkep District.

Bissu is a unique human being is not it? If lucky, visitors can see the attraction bissu in Mappasili ritual Segeri held in the early growing season or around the month of November. Located only about 70 kilometers north of Makassar.

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Pa' Raga "Sport n Martial"

Did you know that the ancestors of takraw is sports football? This is a unique game that combines elements of Makassar and martial skill. Attractions raga still played by the youth in Makassar to the present.

The similarity with the sepak takraw sports are equally rattan ball and play with his feet. But pa'raga demonstrate extraordinary attractions, not just kicking the ball to fall into the opponent as in takraw.

The players called pa'raga body. Usually they are well-trained young men. Wearing traditional costume consisting of passapu (typical headgear triangular berbetuk Makassar), clothes cover (traditional jacket), and Lipa sabbe (Makassar typical sarong made of silk fabric), this young man start the atracsion.

Pa'raga consists of three to six people. The game starts with the ball at each other from foot to foot. Then, they set up in formation in which one of them up and rests on the shoulders of other players. Formation over time the higher up into two and even three stacks.

The ball passed from the bottom up through the one player to another player. Of course still with the foot. Until the end player in the formation of stacking the top attractions that keep playing kick-kick the ball at his feet. Stunt these young people are often invited clicking sound impressed.

Before developing the sport sepak takraw, ma'raga (do bodily movement) are the movements of martial arts. Sports games came from a village called Ujungbulo which lies outside the city of Makassar.

Initially, these movements only normal movement without the accompaniment of drums, gongs, and the traditional horn. Kingdom of Gowa who entered the music elements in that game pa'raga attraction is not just a regular attraction becomes an attraction, but that has aesthetics.

During the penetration of Islam in the Sultanate of Gowa, pa'raga became effective media to spread the religion among the people. Until now the Islamic nuances in this game was still strong. Players pa'raga always pronounce sentence at La ilaha illallah when they do their action

Delegation of South Sulawesi art almost always bring these players in any sport performances abroad. In Makassar, attractions raga can be seen during a ceremony welcoming guests or at Losari Festival held every October.

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