What did a Bugis warrior look like?
 

Anyone looking into SE Asian history will have heard of the Bugis people... traders, politicians, pirates, warriors... they had a great impact.

While today silat styles are known for parang, pisau, and maybe use of tjabang, and of course hand to hand - which makes sense in a civilian setting, and of course translates better to today's needs... in the past warriors used shields with spears, pikes, firearms, bows, pedang...

What did Bugis warriors look like? What were their typical sidearms, aside from badik and keris? What were Bugis pedang, parang, klewang, etc? Only one I've seen (in my limited experience) is the alamang. Did they have their own style of spears? What about their shields? Any tactics they were particularly known for?

Maybe you should post this question also on the Keris Warung forum.

I AM NOT SURE HOW WIDELY SPREAD THE BUGIS PEOPLE WERE BUT IT IS SURE THEY WERE PROMINENT IN MANY AREAS. I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THEIR HISTORY BUT THINK IT IS A LONG ONE LIKELY STARTING IN MALAYSIA AND SPREADING TO SUMATRA AND OTHER ISLANDS. THE WEAPONS USED WOULD HAVE VARIATIONS FROM TRIBAL GROUP TO GROUP AS WELL AS TO ISLANDS AND REGIONS. I COULD NOT FIND A COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION BUT WILL POST A FEW PICTURES.
#1. BADIK SULUWESI, BUGENESE, WE USED TO CALL THESE BADE BADE
#2.BUGIS WITH KERIS
#3. 1703 MAKASAR NATIVES WITH BLOWGUNS, BUGIS LIVE IN MAKASAR I AM NOT SURE IF THESE ARE ANOTHER TRIBE OR BUGENESE :confused:

The book "Living Races of Mankind" is often a good source for photographs of people of about a century ago. I've copied a photograph of two Bugis men from there.

The both seems to carry recongs so they are most probably no Bugis but Aceh men. :shrug:

Regards,
Detlef

Yep, 2 x rencong.

I guess you want to get a good picture of a bugis man in full dress.
Prossibly with some jewelry.

Maybe try and search for makassar / Celebes.

Link : http://collectie.wereldculturen.nl/default.aspx?lang=en


Best regards,
Willem

I would certainly agree there, so perhaps "Living Races of Mankind" is not such a good source after all. ;)

Actually i don't believe this would be a good thread for the Keris Forum as that forum is specific to the discussion of keris alone and that would only be a small part of the answer to your question.
From my understanding the Bugis where more likely than other Indonesian cultures to use their keris in battle, though i still think that other weapons such as spears and longer swords would be first weapons of choice in full-scale battles over the keris which would serve better for one-on-one close quarter fighting.
I did find that apparently the Bugis did sometimes employ chain mail and plate armor that appears to be similar to Moro armor. Of course, these days i am not convinced that even museums are safe sources for solid identification in this arena so maybe this has been misidentified as well. :shrug:

I KEPT GETTING BUGIS AND BATAK MIXED UP IN MY RESEARCH. THE TWO GROUPS BOTH TRAVELED TRADED AND RAIDED SO THE HISTORY IS SIMILAR AS WELL AS THE WEAPONS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE TWO GROUPS CAME FROM THE SAME ANCESTRY OR PERHAPS FROM A EARLY MALAY KINGDOM WHICH CONTROLLED A LARGE AREA IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. BOTH BUGIS AND BATAK WERE IN SUMATRA AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER AREAS AND SEEM TO BE WIDE SPREAD WITH CONCENTRATIONS IN SOME AREAS NEAR OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS THE ACHENES. :confused:

I bought a couple of small knives (badik?) in Sulawesi from a Bugi market in 1993. They looked almost exactly like these and were definitely made by Bugis. The right angle on the hilt was quite distinctive but the turn was about 1.5cm from the blade while these look like the turn may be further from the blade, perhaps 3cm?

This is fascinating:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_in_Bugis_society

Get to know the nature of the Makassar Bugis
 

Get to know the nature of the Makassar Bugis
*Makassar Bugis TRIBE is known for raising blood, likes to throw tantrums, kill and want to die for something, even if it's just a trivial matter. What is the cause so? What's with the soul of this ethnic character?
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It is not known what cause the Makassar Bugis were forced to kill or commit bloodshed, even if it was only a small case. If asked to them why such a thing happened, rarely even one can answer with certainty - so that it can be clearly understood - what causes him to spill the blood of others or he wants to die for someone.
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Historians and cultural experts suggest getting to know the souls of the two tribes more closely by studying the propositions, sayings, history, customs and conclusions of their words that are beautifully described in their poems or rhymes. the line of light in the dark of the night, if we investigate deeper, it appears that most of the killings were due to shame and humiliation. Many shamed and humiliated questions are colored by very strong traditional events.

Makassar's Bugis tribe is famous as brave sailors
 

Makassar's Bugis tribe is famous as brave sailors from ancient times until now. As sailors who often 'mingle' and are familiar with the wind and ocean waves, the dynamic nature of the waves that always move does not want to calm down, affecting the soul and character of the Makassar Bugis people. This is then reflected in the saying, poetry or rhymes related to the state of the sea, which then reflects the shadow of the character or nature of the two tribes. Example of a poem:
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Takunjunga 'banguru turu' 'Nakugunciri' 'roll Kualleangna talaanga natolia
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Meaning: "I don't just follow the direction of the wind, and don't just turn my steering wheel. I would rather sink than go back. "That is, if steps have been swung, abstaining from low tide - rather sinking - than returning empty-handed.
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So these two tribes have hearts that are so hard. But, is that right? On the contrary, the Makassar Bugis have a smooth and soft heart. From the explanation above, it appears that these two ethnic groups use their feelings more than their thoughts. He feels faster. So subtle is the feeling that it is only a small matter in how words come out during a conversation, can cause another impression on his feelings, which can cause misunderstandings.
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But, if we have known his soul and character or customs, then we are dealing with a friendly, polite people, even if necessary he is willing to spend all his heart - even his soul - to us.