Bissu
Common Definitions
Bissu is a gender identity and role in the Bugis culture in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is one of five genders recognized in Bugis culture. The other four are oroané (roughly equivalent to cisgender men), makkunrai (roughly equivalent to cisgender women), calabai (roughly equivalent to trans women) and calalai (roughly equivalent to trans men).
In the pre-Islamic Bugis religion, Attoriolong, bissu act as spiritual leaders meant to uphold cultural norms and create religious works. Originating from the word “bessi,” literally meaning pure or holy, bissu are expected to be ascetics, refraining from relationships and many foods. Similarly, bissu are expected to be neither overly masculine or feminine, instead they are obligated to represent all parts of gender combined into one whole. Although a few bissu are intersex, the majority come from the highest rank of calabai, the calabai tungke’na lino.
There are many levels of Bissu, ranging from the 40 Bissu tanre to the lower level Bissu poncok. Bissu differs significantly from other gender identities, and is often identified more as a religious duty or calling.
Challenges
In recent times bissu number have been declining. Due to repression both during and following the colonial period, calabai, calalai and bissu remain a small fraction of the population. Many of the religious practices connected to bissu, including the fasting and irebba ritual involved in initiation, have already begun to change, or in some cases disappear.
Additionally, in other regions of Sulawesi and wider Indonesia, calabai, calalai and bissu face discrimination similar to that faced by warias (trans women in Indonesia) and priawans (trans men in Indonesia).
Furthermore, even in Bugis communities, strict gender roles still exist, with both Calabai and Makkunrai generally relegated to domestic duties.