THE BUGIS-MAKASSARESE: FROM AGRARIAN FARMERS TO ADVENTUROUS SEAFARERS

The long period of conflict in the 1600s between the royal houses of Bone and Gowa caused a great deal of suffering for the Bugis and Makassarese societies of southern Sulawesi. This suffering caused a large number of the Bugis-Makassarese who inhabited the interior highlands of southern Sulawesi to migrate to other localities in order to seek a better life. The initial migrants, who were from agrarian communities, were forced to adapt to maritime life because the new localities which they had inhabited were on the whole either coastal or off-shore islands. This change led to a marked transformation in the lives and livelihoods of the Bugis-Makassarese, who were forced to shift from agrarian farming to seafaring in a relatively short period of time. The tough seafaring life has consequently shaped the character of the Bugis-Makassarese seafarer, who are renowned for being brave risk-takers and loyal to their friends, families and colleagues. This character is reflected in many of the traditional proverbs and sayings of the Bugis-Makassarese seafarers. The bravery of the seafarers has also given rise to the heroic epics of the Bugis-Makassarese, who have taken on numerous professional roles in the history of the Indonesian archipelago, namely: fishermen, pirates, mercenary soldiers and royal elites. As fishermen, the Bugis-Makassarese voyaged throughout the entire archipelagic region of Southeast Asia up to and including the waters of northern Australia. The Bugis-Makassarese voyaged to Australia not only to collect sea cucumber or trepang, but also to develop social, economic and cultural connections with the Aboriginal communities of the land they called Marege???. In Makassarese, Marege??? means ???black skinned people???, which in the past referred to the Aboriginals of Arnhem Land. This paper will examine the agrarian and maritime history of the Bugis-Makassarese, highlighting the manner in which the relatively recently-embraced seafaring nature of the Bugis-Makassarese has led them to all corners of Southeast Asia, including northern Australia, where they have become known as ???Macassans??