The Old manuscripts of Bugis and Makassar

The Bugis and Makassar ethnic groups in South Sulawesi are including two of the few ethnics in Indonesia who has a tradition of writing. Letters or script used by the Bugis people since hundreds of years ago is the Lontara script. The Lontara is derived from “lontar” or palm (leaves) where the original scripts were written on. Lontara itself is named “uki Ugi’sulapa eppa‘” (Dr. Mukhlis Paeni in Nusantara Manuscript Catalogue). Makassar ethnic group is also has its own letter, called script ‘jangang jangang‘ which resemble the original form or shape of the bird, so-called ‘jangang jangang‘. In further developments jangang-jangang script is rarely used and the Uki Sulapa Eppa is more frequently used for both Bugis and Makassar writing system. According to historians, the script lontara ‘Uki sulapa eppa‘ and ‘jangang jangang‘ script are both derived characters from the Indian’s Sanskrit.

A lot of Bugis ancient manuscripts stored in the Library and Archives of South Sulawesi, consisting of a variety of characters, namely lontara Bugis, lontara jangang-jangang script, ‘serang‘ script (written of Bugis or Makassar using the Arabic script), and the manuscripts writteh in Arabic scripts especially for religious purposes. Some of those manuscripts are already difficult to read, both the original manuscript and its microfilm. This is because the manuscripts are already too old and very fragile manuscript, the ink used has also been seep into the paper, there are also a lot pages missing or torn.

In the Regional Library and Archive of South Sulawesi it is also well preserved the ancient Bugis manuscripts written on palm leaves. The manuscript is in the form of palm leaf roll. According to the experts this manuscript was written by using a kind of nail to scratch the letter on the palm leaves carefully due to the nature of palm leaves which are easily torn. After one piece of writing, the scripts then dusted with black powder so that the writing visible and clearly legible. When a strand was finished then connected with the previous piece by stitching using a needle and thread. When a manuscript is considered finished then pieces of palm leaves are rolled up and made the rolls for easy reading. How to read the manuscript? In a position sitting cross-legged with hands palm leaf rollers rotating rolls. The reading usually accompanied by a ritual. Family-tree manuscripts usually read in the evening before the wedding ceremony. The purposes are to make sure that the bride-to-be or groom-to-be are both from the noble blood. 

In the Regional Library and Archive of South Sulawesi it is also well preserved the ancient Bugis manuscripts written on palm leaves. The manuscript is in the form of palm leaf roll. According to the experts this manuscript was written by using a kind of nail to scratch the letter on the palm leaves carefully due to the nature of palm leaves which are easily torn. After one piece of writing, the scripts then dusted with black powder so that the writing visible and clearly legible. When a strand was finished then connected with the previous piece by stitching using a needle and thread. When a manuscript is considered finished then pieces of palm leaves are rolled up and made the rolls for easy reading. How to read the manuscript? In a position sitting cross-legged with hands palm leaf rollers rotating rolls. The reading usually accompanied by a ritual. Family-tree manuscripts usually read in the evening before the wedding ceremony. The purposes are to make sure that the bride-to-be or groom-to-be are both from the noble blood.

Literary works of Bugis usually consists of poetic literature such as the epic I La Galigo, Tolo ‘, Meongpalo, Sure’ Selleyang, Ugi Elong. While lontara ‘which consists of example sentences concatenated lontara saga, story, tasauf, and other religious lontara. The number of letters from the lontara type array is different. Elong Ugi usually consists of three lines each number of letters (lontara ‘) his or syllables in the Latin alphabet 8’, 7 and 6. Sometimes it consist of only two rows but the number of syllables will always be 21. The Tolo ‘, Menrurana, and Meongpalo is composed of lines that connect array consisting of eight syllables or 8 letters of Bugis. I La Galigo and Sure ‘Selleyang have amount of lines of 5, 5, 5 or 10, 10, 10.

It is unfortunate that the younger generation seems uninterested in examining the manuscript or lontara Bugis and Makassar. In fact, lontara ‘Bugis and Makassar is one aspect of local culture containing noble cultural values of the nation. Without attempts to preserve the manuscript lontara Bugis and Makassar it is feared that the Bugis and Makassar younger generation will lose their identity and works of literature will be extinct.