BISSU YANG ENGGAN MEMBISU Proses Encountering Islam dan Kebugisan

Abstract

article is derived from my own experience living with bissu community in Pangkep last year. I could not say that my research was a pure research. I just lived with them, tried to learn to each other, between me and the bissu community This article aims to reveal the encountering process of Islam with one of the representations of Buginese culture: Bissu, a local community in South Sulawesi. In old days, Bissu was spiritual figure of old Buginese believed to descend to middle earth together with Batara Guru. Since long time ago, Bissu has led the ritual ceremony of the community and the kingdom, before finally a majority of Buginese people embraces Islam. However, in small part of Buginese community, Bissu remains their spiritual leader. Islam and this small part of Buginese culture, since their early encounter, have filled each other. No domination. Bissu has never kept quiet. They always play their negotiation role. Islam, on the other hand, emerges with his kind face, although sometimes, particularly in current times, this process of encounter is in tension.