Social Values in The Bissu Ceremony: Strengthening the Identity of South Sulawesi People

Abstract

The objective of this research is to reveal and to explain the development of Sere Bissu occurring estimatedly at the same time with atturioloang religion originating from lagaligo, i.e., prehistoric era. When Islam arrived and led in South Sulawesi religion in the beginning of 17th century, the role of bissu experienced degradation, because the process of Sere Bissu formation is always started from the behavior of bissu as a single authority. In the next development process, Sere Bissu also experiences functional transformation, i.e., it becomes traditional ritual, and this function has developed up to the present. Nowadays, the from of Sere Bissu becomes the continuation of the past ritual which is not free from the context of socio-cultural of its proponent. To prove the truth of this fact, a wide and comprehensive observation about Serre Bissu is needed, because it seems that the traditional ritual has absorbed various aspects of tis bacground. Therefore, historical, sociological, anthropological, and artistic approaches are needed to deal with the topic in order to explain and solve the problem. In traditional athority system of Bugis Makassar, a King is not a power, he merely becomes the executive of the power. The real power is arajang, i.e., something given by Gods, a sacred, divine material created as the “spirit of power”. These materials are carefully kept by a certain man called bissu. Bissu (hermaprodite) is a chosen man who owns supranatural power. Therefore, bissu should be a holy man and physically he owns both elements in his body. This is important because he acts as a mediator between heaven (man) and earth (woman) power. It is by this extra power that the social function of bissu is not only limited as the servant ofarajang, but also known as a shaman and the leader of traditional ritual in Mappaliliceremony. Sere Bissu, a part of Mappalili ceremony conducted by bissu, is a from of totally self-surrending to the Creator. Therefore, it is strongly guessed that its big value contained in the role and function of bissu in its proponent makes Sere Bissu survive in South Sulawesi Indonesian Community, especially in the region of Segeri Mandalle, Pangkajene Kepulauan (Pangkep) Regency.