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.