Mapata’s Transformation of Gender Identities in Tiba Sebelum Berangkat

Abstract

Differing from other tribes in Indonesia, the Bugis tribe classified human gender into five categories, namely oroane (man), makunrai (woman), calabai (trans man), calalai (trans woman), and bissu (androgynous shaman). Originally, the Bissu occupied the highest position in Bugis community. However, as the majority of Bugis people have converted to Islam, the belief on such gender diversity is gradually declining. Issues pertaining to the fifth gender are explored by a literary work written by Faisal Odang. Titled Tiba Sebelum Berangkat, the novel examined transformations of a bissu’s gender identity. Concepts of identity, gender, and objectification were applied in this research to discover the story’s narrative structure. The purpose of this research is to understand transformations of gender in the character of Mapata, who underwent changes from being a calabai, an oroane (toboto), to becoming a bissu. Based on the analysis in this research, it is concluded that during the transformations, there were objectifications performed by Islamic fundamentalist groups toward bissu. Practices of objectification in fact were performed by not only external parties, but also other bissus.