 The native Makassar men performingParaga in their traditional clothing. | |
| Total population | |
| 2,672,590 (2010 census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Indonesia (2010 census) | 2,672,590[2] |
 South Sulawesi | 2,380,208 |
 Southeast Sulawesi | 59,301 |
 West Papua | 41,239 |
 East Kalimantan | 31,701 |
 Jakarta | 29,444 |
 West Sulawesi | 25,367 |
| Languages | |
| |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Austronesian peoples | |
The nativeMakassar,Macassar,Makassarese,[a]Makassan(in Thai), orMacassan(in Australian English), are one of theAustronesian people native to thesouthern Celebic peninsular regions (concentrated around theMakassar area) inIndonesia. The Makassar people are rich in culture and they are acknowledged for theirtraditional culinary and maritime knowledges, together with theBugis, its closest related ethnic group. The Makassar people speak variousMakassaric languages, including StandardMakassarese, as well asStandard Indonesian andMakassar Malay.
ThePhinisi, a worldwide well-known boatbuilding of Southern Sulawesi-origin, a joint invention of Bugis-Makassar people, is internationally inscribed as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Makassar people are amongst the first native people who are endowed with the harvesting and processing knowledge ofholothuroidea (sea cucumber, natively found between theWallace andWeber line), and was spread to another regions beyond its native homeland throughout theIndonesian Archipelago to theOceania (and some another regions ofAsia–Pacific) due to theirseafaring activity (mostly departed fromMakassar port inMakassar Strait), their knowledge is better-known astrepanging(in Australian English), rooted from the native Makasar word “taripang” (lit. 'sea cucumber'). Furthermore, the knowledge in fauna sector is not an exception, theMakassar oil is one of it, a herbal oil extracted from their ownMakassar ebony (mixed with another herbal ingredients), was famously used forhaircare treatment amongst the Western Europeans. In several Oceanic countries, one of the ingredients for Makassar oil, theCananga odorata, are still famously known as “Makassar” (but spelt in different orthographical rules of each respective country, such asMokasoi inFiji,Mohokoi inTonga,Mosoʻoi inSamoa, etc.). Almost all Makassar trade activity was recorded as one of the important historical inter-native relationship and businesses of ancient times (especially with theAboriginal Australians and several Oceanian natives).
Nowadays, the Makassar diaspora could be found across regions beyond their native homeland in southern Sulawesi; in Indonesia itself, the Makassar diaspora could be found in several regions of theNusa Tenggara islands, thePangkajene islands, parts ofSangkarang andKangean archipelagoes, theSelayar Islands (known asSelayar people), theSumenep andPamekasan regions ofMadura, parts ofKalimantan island, and so on. Meanwhile outside of Indonesia, the diasporic Makassar community could be found inInsular Southeast Asia and its vicinity (such asAustralia,Thailand, etc.), as well as some African countries (such asMozambique in Eastern Africa andSouth Africa in Southern Africa). It is also believed that the Makassar people migrated toMadagascar (with the migration route starting from Southern Sulawesi to Southern Kalimantan, next toJava[3][4]: 311 [5]: 57 [6]: 51 aroundSunda Strait, and then toMadagascar).
The Makassar are an ethnic group originally from the southern coast of the island of Sulawesi. Their exploratory spirits have led to successful overseas explorations. This is exemplified by theKingdom of Gowa (14-17th century), which succeeded in forming a vast Islamic empire with a large and strong naval force. Its territory included almost the entire island ofSulawesi, eastern Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, part ofWest Nusa Tenggara, part ofMaluku and some small surrounding islands. The Makassar people made treaties withBali and cooperated withMalacca andBanten, as well as some other kingdoms within the archipelago. Similar treaties were sometimes struck with foreign powers, especially with the Portuguese. However, until its fall, Gowa was also engaged in ongoing wars with the Netherlands.[7]
The Makassar are known to have explored large sections of the world's oceans, reaching as far asSouth Africa. In South Africa there is an area called “Macassar”. It is suspected that the local population is of mixed indigenous and Makassar descent. Meanwhile, the name Maccassar is likely to have originated from the name for their ancestors' homeland. There are several places named Maccassar inSouth Africa and neighbouringMozambique.[8]
Makassartrepangers from the southwest corner ofSulawesi visited the coast of northern Australia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to collect and processtrepang (also known assea cucumber), a marine invertebrate prized for its culinary and medicinal values inChinese markets. The term Makassan (or Macassan) is generally used to apply to all the trepangers who came to Australia, although some were from other islands in theIndonesian Archipelago, includingTimor,Rote andAru.
Fishing fleets began to visit the northern coasts of Australia fromMakassar in southernSulawesi,Indonesia from about 1720, but possibly earlier. While Campbell Macknight's classic study of the Makassan trepang industry accepts the start of the industry as about 1720, with the earliest recorded trepang voyage made in 1751,[9] Regina Ganter of Griffith University notes a Sulawesi historian who suggests a commencement date for the industry of about 1640.[10] Ganter also notes that for some anthropologists, the extensive impact of the trepang industry on theYolngu people suggests a longer period of contact.Arnhem Land rock art, recorded by archaeologists in 2008, appears to provide further evidence of Makassan contact in the mid-1600s.[11] Contact has even been proposed from as early as the 1500s.[12]
At the height of the trepang industry, Makassans ranged thousands of kilometres along Australia's northern coasts, arriving with the north-west monsoon each December. Makassanperahu orpraus could carry a crew of thirty members, and Macknight estimated the total number of trepangers arriving each year as about one thousand.[13] The Makassan crews established themselves at various semi-permanent locations on the coast, to boil and dry the trepang before the return voyage home, four months later, to sell their cargo to Chinese merchants.[14]Marege' was the Makassan name for Arnhem land, (meaning literally "Wild Country") from theCobourg Peninsula toGroote Eylandt in theGulf of Carpentaria.Kayu Jawa was the name for the fishing grounds in theKimberley region of Western Australia, from Napier Broome Bay toCape Leveque. Other important fishing areas includedWest Papua,Sumbawa,Timor,Flores, andSelayar.Matthew Flinders in his circumnavigation of Australia in 1803, met a Makassan trepang fleet near present dayNhulunbuy. He communicated at length with a Makassan captain, Pobasso, through his cook, who was also a Malay, and learned of the extent of the trade from this encounter. Ganter writes that there were at most "1,000 Macassans" compared to the almost "7,000 British nestled into Sydney Cove and Newcastle."[15]Nicholas Baudin also encountered 26 largeperahu off the northern coast of Western Australia in the same year.[16] Ganter states that the British settlements ofFort Dundas andFort Wellington were established as a result ofPhillip Parker King's contact with Makassan trepangers in 1821.[15]
Using Daeng Rangka, the last Makassan trepanger to visit Australia, lived well into the 20th century and the history of his voyages are therefore well documented. He first made the voyage to northern Australia as a young man. He suffered dismasting and several shipwrecks, generally positive but occasionally conflicting relationships with Indigenous Australians, and was the first trepanger to pay the South Australian government trepanging licence in 1883, an impost that made the trade less viable.[17] The trade continued to dwindle toward the end of the 19th century, due to the imposition of customs duties and licence fees and probably compounded by over fishing.[citation needed] Using Daeng Rangka commanded the last Makassarperahu, which leftArnhem Land in 1907.
The main source of income of the Makassar is rice farming; however, they are also famous throughout Indonesia for their skill in trading and as fishermen. This includes the harvesting ofsea cucumbers, a practice known inIndonesian astrepanging.[18]
Labor division is strict because of the rigid separation of the sexes, as in all traditional Muslim communities. Men are engaged in matters outside the house such as farming, fishing, etc. Women are usually responsible for the household duties, while the man is the head of the family. While they are in public, respect should be shown to him by the wife and children. Usually the final decisions concerning the family are made by the husband. In rural areas,arranged marriage is still widely practiced.
Polygamy is accepted by the Makassar people, but, since a separate house must be provided for each wife, it is only practiced among the wealthy people.
Siri (respect and honor) is the social code by which the Makassar live. Anyone seriously offending another person'ssiri carries the risk of being killed, in which case authorities often refuse to intervene. The Makassar often help their neighbors in matters such as working in the rice fields and building houses.[19]
The Makassarese language, also referred to asBasa Mangkasara (ISO code:mak), is the language spoken by the Makassar people. This language is classified as part of Makassaric branch of theSouth Sulawesi subgroup which in turn is part of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of theAustronesian language family.[20]
Commonly known as "Logat Makassar" (Makassar Dialect; ISO code:mfp) is acreole of Malay. This language is used as the language of commerce in the port of Makassar, South Sulawesi. The number of speakers reached 1.889 million in 2000 and is expected to continue to grow until it reaches ± 3.5 million inhabitants. The language is mostly used by immigrants from outside the city of Makassar, Makassar City Population, Youth Makassar, or people who are not proficient in Makassarese. This language is spoken along the South Peninsula region of Sulawesi.[21]
In the 16th century, South Sulawesi was a center for trade with Malay Muslim traders. Also Portuguese traders frequently visited the area. Native rulers were generally uncommitted to either Muslim or Christian religions and allowed both to maintain presence. Around 1537, Padre Manuel d’la Costa visited Gowa court, along with Portuguese representatives from Ternate. According to Portuguese records, some Gowan aristocracy converted toChristianity.
According to Antonio de Payva, Portuguese trader and missionary from Malaccas, that had some success converting some Bugis kings from Ajatappareng, when a Portuguese missionary tried to convert 14th Gowa king, I Mangngarangi Daeng Manrabbia, he was reluctant to change his ancestral faith and will invite Malay priests to compare both religions first. Around 1593, He decided to embraceIslam and adopt the title of Sultan Aluddin. He then set Islam as the official religion of Gowa. Payva noted that Malay traders and priests are generally more accepted and trusted compared to Portuguese. Gowa had maintained relationship with traders from Java, Sumatra, Pattani, Pahang, Champa, and Johor ever since 9th Gowa king, Tum’parisi Kallona. According to the text Lontarak Patturiolonga, under the rule of 11th Gowa king, Tunipalangga, these traders were allowed to practice Islam and had special privileges. These communities requested Sultan Muda Alauddin Riayat Shah of Aceh to provide ulama for South Sulawesi, as he is known for sending ulama outside of Aceh.[22]
Three Minangkabauulama, Dato Ri Bandang, Dato Ri Tiro, and Dato Ri Patimang were sent to spread Islam in South Sulawesi. They visited Riau and Johor to learn about South Sulawesi culture from Bugis-Makassar sailors there. Facilitated by Sultan of Johor, they learned from Wali Songo of Java before eventually arriving in Somba Opu harbour in early 17th century.[23] There are similarities of Islam with native practice of Dewata Sewwae in Luwu Kingdom, which was considered the spiritual center in South Sulawesi. Hence, when the rulers of Luwu converted first, they pushed for conversion in Gowa-Tallo, since they had the power and authority for pushing conversion in South Sulawesi which Luwu lacked. Conversion began slowly and peacefully and adapted with native Ammatoa practitioners centered in Bulukumba.[22]
By 1611, most of the Makasar and Bugis kingdoms had converted.[24] Presently, the Makassar are almost allMuslim, but some traditional pre-Islamic beliefs are still influential, especially in the remote areas.
Culture Siri 'Na Pacce is one cultural philosophy of Bugis-Makassar society.
Baju bodo (lit. 'short blouse' inMakassarese) is a traditional upper garment of Makassarese women. Thebaju bodo has a rectangular shape, and is usually short-sleeved, i.e. half above the elbow. According to Makassar custom, the color of thebaju bodo indicates the age or the dignity of the wearer. It is often used for ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies. But now,baju bodo is revitalized through other events such as dance competitions or guest welcome receptions.[25]
Makassar cuisine uses a blend of agrarian and maritime ingredients. On west coast cities such asMakassar,Maros, andPangkep, there are coastal areas directly adjacent torice fields. Agricultural areas are quite extensive in the Maros and Pangkep regions.Rice and other crops such asbananas are abundant. Most dishes—mainly traditionalkues and desserts—are predominantly made from rice and bananas.
Coastal areas of South Sulawesi are important producers of fish, with ponds on the west coast filled withbolu (milkfish),sunu (grouper),shrimps, andcrabs. The tradition of fishing in coastal and high seas areas is also well-developed. Among others,tunas are most commonly caught.
The "agrarian pattern" is found in Makassarese dishes which are made frombeef orbuffalo. Prime examples arecoto,konro,sop saudara, andpallubasa.[26]
People who live in coastal cities high in maritime resources predominantly eat fish.
There is a common misperception that the Makassar people are identical and ethnically cognate to theBuginese people, and that the term Buginese and Makassar are terms that are coined by the Dutch colonials to create a division among them. All potentials were lost once theSultanate of Makassar fell to the Dutch colonial, since these people were notoriously rebellious against the Dutch colonials.[27] Wherever these people encounter the Dutch colonials, conflicts are bound to happen. Several notable figures centered inGowa Regency that refused to surrender likeKaraeng Galesong, migrated toCentral Java. Along with his powerful naval fleet, they would engage in war against any Dutch vassals that they would encounter. Hence, the Dutch colonials at that time underCornelis Speelman calls him theSi-Bajak-Laut, meaning "the pirate".[28]
In linguistic terms,Makassarese andBuginese are distinct languages, even though both of these languages belong to theSouth Sulawesi group[29] within theMalayo-Polynesian languages branch of theAustronesian languages. In this category, theMakassarese language is in the same sub-category asBentong,Coastal andHighland Konjo andSelayar;[30] while Buginese is under the same sub-category asCampalagian language and along with another 2 languages spoken inKalimantan,Embaloh andTaman.[31] This differences between theBugis and Makassar people are one of the characteristics that differentiate the two people group.
The idea that theBuginese and Makassar people are ethnically cognate derives from the conquest of kingdoms such asBone state andWajo Kingdom by theSultanate of Gowa.
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