Phinisi Boat : An impressive masterpiece of Bugis people

Phinisi, a traditional boat from Bugis and Makassar people, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Phinisi boat generally has two main masts and seven sails. 3 sails is placed in front end of the boat, two in front, and the rest in back.

When you're sailing in the Indonesian oceans, you will meet with the incredible traditional boat. Phinisi has sailed to Malacca, Burma, Vietnam, and Australia for centuries. You can see the traditional boat anchored in Paotere harbour at Makassar, Sunda Kelapa harbour in Jakarta, Dermaga Ujung harbour in Surabaya, wood harbour in Kalimantan, and even in small harbour at Labuan Bajo, Flores.

Phinisi usually used for inter-island freightage in Nusantara (Indonesia today). Bugis and Mandar people which come from South Sulawesi is talented sailor and shipbuilders as well. Phinisi boat has brought Bugis people sailed in Nusantara archipelago until Java, Borneo, New Guinea, Sumatera and Nusa Tenggara. Bugis people wasn't only known as skilled shipbuilder but also as the dreaded pirates.

In 18th century when the dutch colonized Nusantara, many nobilities sailed into Malaysia and Borneo. Sultan of Kutai in East Kalimantan and Sultan of Johor and Selangor in Malaysia are the descendants of Bugis. The origin region of Bugis located in Luwu, Bone Gulf.

In 13th and 14th centuries, was the development age of the Kingdom of Bugis. One of the greatest manuscript of Bugis, which was written on the age was "I La Galigo". This manuscript contains 600 pages of stories about the origin of Bugis people and it's include Phinisi boat, which is firstly made by Sawerigading, Prince of Kingdom of Luwu, which is sailed to China and married Princess We Cudai. After few years in China, Sawerigading back to his motherland by using phinisi boat to Luwu. The boat hit by big sea waves when it almost arrived in Luwu waters and the boat split into 3 parts and stranded in Ara village, Tanah beru village, and Lemo-lemo village. The local people there assembled the wrecked boat to become a boat which now known as phinisi boat.

The weight of phinisi boat is about 100 to 200 tons and it's still has an important role as traditional transportation in inter-islands trade. In 19th century, the boat have been used to carry goods from Europe and China from Singapore to Dobo in Aru island, East Nusa Tenggara, which then anchored in every small docks along the route. From Indonesian archipelago, they collected paradise bird feathers, sandalwood, spices, golds, and  chili. They sold it with high prices to chinese and indian traders in Singapore

Nowadays, phinisi carries some small cargos contain logs, cements, tiles, rice, sugar, cigarettes, and even motorcycles for sale over the island. Phinisi equipped with tools for staying in the sea, which is needed by the divers. Today, it 's equipped with kitchen, cabin, bathroom and several diving expedition to National park of Komodo and Raja Ampat.

There're two kind of phinisi. The first named Lamba or Lambo, a modern phinisi equipped with the diesel engine (PLM). The second one is Palari, an earlier phinisi form with curved form and the size is smaller than Lamba.

Meanwhile, the modern Phinisi boat today has copied the 19th century old western sailboat. In addition, the large version of the previous Bugis boat known as Patorni boat or Padewakang boat.

Phinisi boat is one of traditional boat of Indonesia and it has own uniqueness in making process. Generally, like the westerner ships, a ship framework is made firstly before the ship wall. Meanwhile in phinisi, the process started at the ship wall and the ship framework for the next. You can find Phinisi in the southern coast of South Sulawesi, centered around Bulukumba in Tana Beru. Here you can witness impressive shipbuilding with traditional tools.

The construction of Phinisi

The construction of phinisi is the combination between science and old traditional experiences accompanied by stringent rituals that must be followed to ensure the safety on the sea. The boat craftsmen have to count good day according to their calendar to start for wood searching as raw materials. The wood are usually searched in the 5th day and 7th day of the moving moon. Number 5 (naparilimai dalle'na) means sustenance already in hands, meanwhile number 7 (natujuangngi dalle'na) means always get sustenance. After they decide and choose the good day, the headmaster of Phinisi project lead the wood searching. There's no draft or written notes to make Phinisi. The project leader already know everything about Phinisi construction and its detail.

Even though the boat craftsmen usually known as Bugis people, but they're divided into 4 sub-tribe. The fourth are Konjo in the south of South Sulawesi (Ara, Bimra, and Tanah Biru), Mandar in the West Sulawesi to the northern part of Makasar, Bugis located around Wajo, eastern part of Bone Gulf and Makassar around Makasar city. Konjo is the most influential tribe than 3 the others in making Phinisi boat.

The most famous expedition of Indonesian phinisi was the expedition of Phinisi Nusantara which have sailed to Vancouver, Kanada, it needs 62 days in 1986. In 1987, there was expedition called "Hati Marige", it used Padewakang boat (part of Phinisi family) to Darwin, Australia, and it used the classic route. The next was the expedition of Ammana Gappa to Madagascar island, and the last was Damar Segara expedition to Japan.

If we visit to Makassar city, around 5 km or less than 10 minutes from the harbour, then you will find a traditional dock named Paotere dock. Here you can see many Phinisi boats anchored.

You can use pedicab to go around into this dock. During down the road, you will see the old city of Makassar near the dock and the toll booth. In the edge of the toll, you will find fishermen settlement before reach the Paotere dock.

In Paotere dock, you will witness the fishermen carry the catch and also their activity on the trade center. Near the dock, you can do culinary tour especially for the culinary hunters such as seafood mixed with Makassar spice and many more. So don't forget to visit !!

More information about Phinisi, art and culture from Sulawesi, visit wonderful Indonesia

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