Symbolic Meanings of Equipments Used in Mappacci Buginese Traditional Ceremony

Abstract

This paper aims to elaborate the meaning and message contained in the symbol of equipments used in the ceremony of Mappacci. Mappacci is a traditional pre-marriage the ceremony carried out from generation to generation by Bugis tribe for the purpose of cleaning or purifying the bride from bad things. This study used an analytical descriptive approach in which researcher observed and interviewed the local people and the process of ceremony in order to gain data. The result shows that in carrying out the Mappacci ceremony, nine kinds of equipment are prepared by Bugis tribe. Equipment used in Mappacci in general are pillows, silk covers, jackfruit leaves, banana shoots, pacci leaves, rice, candles, pacci containers, brown sugar, and coconut. All of them contain meaningful and important cultural symbols which become an unuttered message. The symbols generally contain hope and prayers for the welfare and happiness of the bride and groom. It is suggested that further research will conduct a deeper analysis on other cultural ceremonies performed by Bugis tribe.