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Lontara? - traditional Bugis manuscript - were being written long before Islam was introduced in South Sulawesi. This is illustrated in Lontara? Purukani (Roll 41, No.9, Arsip Nasional Wilayah Makassar) which describes the coming of a new religion, called Islam (assellengeng). Although lontara? have been the subject of interest not only among Bugis scholars, but also scholars from foreign countries, little, if any, attention has been paid to gender relations in lontara?. This paper focuses on this subject and picks up a well-known lontara? in terms of gender relations, named Lontara? Daramatasia. This gender-related lontara? has lots of Arab influence, reflected in the names used in the manuscript. Central to this lontara? is the relationship between a virtuous wife, Daramatasia, and her husband, Saéhe' Bilma?rupi. The work shows Daramatasia?s loyalty to her husband, her love for him, her remarriage after his death. This paper analyses the significance of the message of this lontara? to the everyday life of the Bugis, and to Bugis marriage in particular.
The paper argues that any discussion of the dissemination of Islam by the Bugis requires a prior understanding of the Bugis combination of Muslim and indigenous ideas. It is this which was spread to Sumatra and Malaysia and the use of lontara? was important in this dissemination. Although the influence of Islam is significant in this lontara?, much does not correspond to the teaching of Islam and the naming of Allah (Allataala) and the Prophet (Nabitta) in the manuscript is perhaps intended merely to legitimate the message of this lontara?.
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Jointly organized by IIAS the Netherlands and The State Institute of Islamic Studies, Makassar