BISSU YANG ENGGAN MEMBISU Proses Encountering Islam dan Kebugisan

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