Mapata’s Transformation of Gender Identities in Tiba Sebelum Berangkat

Abstract

Differing from other tribes in Indonesia, the Bugis tribe classified human gender into
 five categories, namely oroane (man), makunrai (woman), calabai (trans man), calalai
 (trans woman), and bissu (androgynous shaman). Originally, the Bissu occupied the
 highest position in Bugis community. However, as the majority of Bugis people have
 converted to Islam, the belief on such gender diversity is gradually declining. Issues
 pertaining to the fifth gender are explored by a literary work written by Faisal Odang.
 Titled Tiba Sebelum Berangkat, the novel examined transformations of a bissu’s
 gender identity. Concepts of identity, gender, and objectification were applied in this
 research to discover the story’s narrative structure. The purpose of this research is
 to understand transformations of gender in the character of Mapata, who underwent
 changes from being a calabai, an oroane (toboto), to becoming a bissu. Based on the
 analysis in this research, it is concluded that during the transformations, there were
 objectifications performed by Islamic fundamentalist groups toward bissu. Practices of
 objectification in fact were performed by not only external parties, but also other bissus.