Bissu: Ancient Bugis Priest (Perspective On The Influence Of Hindu Civilization In Bugis Land)

Abstract

This study discusses the Bugis or Bissu priests in South Sulawesi Province. The Bugis people's belief in bissu has been written since ancient times and has even been documented in the Lontara I La Galigo. In general, Bissu is a man but looks like and dressed up like a woman or in the Bugis language; it is called Calabai. During the heyday of the kingdoms in South Sulawesi, a Bissu had a crucial position in traditional ritual activities and other sectors such as medicine, as a fortune teller, to determine good days and a royal advisor. They are believed as the bridge between humans and gods or ancestral spirits through their language called Torilangi. Along with the times, the existence of Bissu in South Sulawesi began to disappear because they were considered to be carrying out idolatrous activities. There is no more special attention given by the government to their survival. So that many Bissu has switched professions to survive, such as being a bridal make-up, working on rice fields and gardens as well as taking part in regional tourism activities through the Magiri attractions they display.