CULTURE

Wajo is well known for its very old cultural heritage. During the ancient Bugis era, before Islam came, the Old Wajo Kingdom had practiced an intensive law enforcement, even systematical Trade and a Maritime Laws were established by the famous “Ammanagappa” and practiced early in the mid centuries.

The Wajo culture like other Bugis Tribes in South Sulawesi, also use “Bugis Character” for written communication. Some famous Bugis literatures (e.g. Lontara) were written in Bugis Characters and still kept in the museum libraries now.

The typical Bugis alphabet consists of some twenty three characters, written and pronounced as follows:


Some traditional ceremonies are still practiced up to now, others are only performed on the special occasions. Traditional wedding, for instance are still widely practiced, even by the highly educated society. Traditional agricultural practices and other rules of lives are still predominating the rural dwellers. A variety of dances for particular ceremonies are still practiced and maintained consistently, for instance, the welcome dancing, the ritual dancing, rice planting, harvesting, silk weaving, and so on.

INTRODUCTION

The Wajo Regency is one of the oldest regencies of South Sulawesi Provincial Administration, located at the center-east coast of the South Sulawesi Peninsula, extended north to south between 3o39’ and 4o16’ of the East Latitude, east to west between 119o53’ and 120o27’ of the East Hemisphere. To the north it is borderers the Luwu and Sidrap Regencies, to the east Bone Gulf, to the south of the Soppeng and Sidrap Regencies.

The capital city of the Wajo Regency is SENGKANG, located at the east coast of the famous Tempe Lake, the largest fish producing fresh water lake in the southern part of Sulawesi Island, with a distance of approximately 240 km from Ujung Pandang (the capital city of the South Sulawesi Province).

The population in majority are basically of Malay heritage and are mostly of the Bugis ethnic group which speak and write “Buginese”. The “Bahasa Indonesia” or the Indonesian Language is used as an official national language like other regions in Indonesia. Islam is mostly the predominant religion, and Wajo has long been known as the center of Islamic studies since the ancient Bugis civilization. Most of the Wajo people are identified ethnologically as the trade talented people, besides their famous democratic philosophy which is descended from generation to generation until this day.

CLIMATE

Like other regions along the equator, the climate in Wajo Regency is also tropical with high humidity, heavy rainfall and slight changes in temperatures ranging between 20 to 30 degress Fahrenheit. The Wet Monsoon season is normally longer than the dry seasion, with an annual average precipitation of about 2,131 mm. The average humidity is ranging between 60 to 90 year round.

TOPOGRAPHY

The Wajo Regency in general is located mostly at the vast flat land with the elevation ranging between 0 to 500 meters above sea level. Almost 84% of the area are at the elevation between 0 to 25 meters above sea level, only 13% of which is located at the elevation between 25 to 100 meters above sea level, 3% above 100 to 500 meters, and only about 200 ha (0,90%) is located at the elevation around 500 meters above sea level. Two main rivers are flowing to the Tempe Lake, namely the Bila and the Walanae Rivers.

Having the above topographical condition, the Wajo Regency has long been identified as the strategic area for its three distinct topographical conditions, sea and lake areas, high-lands, and a vast low-land plains. Further more, the area is also located mostly at the river basins such as, Cenranae, Walanae, Bulete, and Gilireng rivers. This geographical situations make this area is potential for agriculture, forestry, cattle breeding and fisheries development. However, the development of this potential is still needed to enchanted the productivity of Wajo area.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUD

The historical background of Wajo Regency has a very long coherency with the old Kingdom of Wajo, which is known to be very unique and consistent in their democratic principles. The ruling principle of the “Old Wajo” Kingdom during the mid centuries was based upon the power of the “Arumpanua” which was not practiced by any other kingdom that day. The principle of arumpanua is based upon the nation that the ruler and the people together were regarded as the power holder and the kingdom’s owner, which were subject to the customary laws of the land. The people regarded the rules as the servant of the people. Their master was not the ruler but the Ade Assituruseng or the customary through descendant but elected by an “Lembaga Adat”.

The most popular democratic principle of the Old Wajo Kingdom is now engraved permanently at the coat of arms of the Wajo Regency as: “MARADEKA TO WAJOE ADENA NAPOPUANG” which literally meant the Wajo people are fully having their freedom, and only the rules of their traditional laws are regarded as their master.

The establishment of Wajo as a regency was officially inaugurated in 1957 in accordance with the State Law No. 4/1957, having the privilege of an autonomous territory like the early established regencies in Indonesia.

During the early stage of its establishment until 1963’s, the area development process of Wajo was hampered by the instability of security affairs due to the rebellion of DI/TII Movements. And only two year later, a communist rebellion in Indonesia has brought the country into a very difficult situation, including Wajo Regency as a new founded local government administration.

The implementation of an intensive development in Wajo could only be initiated earlier in 1969’s parallel to the national “Five Years Development Plan (REPELITA)” of the central government since than, the area development process covering all sector in the Wajo Regency has been intensified to advance the intellectual life of the population in the region, and to contribute toward the country’s prosperity based on freedom, peace and social justice.

LAND USE CATEGORY

The land use category in Wajo Regency in most cases is associated with the development programs, such as rural development, paddy field, irrigated agricultural, high land development, upland fields, estates, ranch, fish ponds, grass fields, and other community utilization. More than 84,500 ha of the land paddy fields, which are mostly under the rain fed condition? About 75% of the low land paddy fields are planted during the rainy season only, about 24.50% are planted with paddy and “palawija” or second crop during the dry season. The paddy fields in the northern part of Tempe Lake are under the simple irrigation system, taking its water from the Bila Rever, flowing to the lake then ended into the Bone Gulf. The total irrigated paddy fields for cattle breeding is about 34,600 ha.

The statistical figures of the land use category in Wajo Regency are as follows.
- recidential quarters 5,392 ha
- rice fields 85,555 ha
- upland crops 14,850 ha
- mixed crops 32,887 ha
- public estates 5,646 ha
- jungles 3,275 ha
- secondary forests 25,615 ha
- productive forests 4,050 ha
- grass fields 34,686 ha
- fish pounds 15,000 ha
- swamps 9,209 ha
- lake area 5,128 ha

the total use potentials for agriculture and other related commodity are estimated at about 206,000 ha, excluding the protected the following break down:
- paddy (single crop) 22,601 ha
- paddy (double crop) 8,528 ha
- paddy/second crop 52,954 ha
- vegetables/palawija 6,638 ha
- fruits/upland crops 27,894 ha
- permanent crops 12,392 ha
- cattle grazing 17,691 ha
- fisheries 29,062 ha
- intensified fish ponds 7,725 ha
- extension of fish ponds 7,000 ha
- lake/swamps 14,337 ha
- protected forests 34,040 ha

DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPECTS

In line with the Five Years Development Plan of the Central Government, and The Regionalized Zone of Commodity Development Strategy of South Sulawesi Province the development program of Wajo is concentrated on the optimization of agricultural production, including aquacultures, cattle-breeding and other land resources potentials, by means of launching intensification, extension and diversification programs, towards a proper balance of self sufficiency in food production.

Industrial crops like tobacco, cocoa, sugar cane, coconut, cashew nut, clove, castor-oil are among the higher priority for the on going development.

Agricultural industry, will also be encouraged through a consistent efforts on the improvement of practices on appropriate technology to support home industry, food processing, handicraft, silk weaving industry and other such prospective undertaken.

In the public works sector, the establishment of irrigation and drainage facilities, road, and bridges, drinking water supply, sanitation and housing development are also amongst the highest priority in supporting the income generating activities of the people.

TOURISM

Tourism also has a special prospect in Wajo, due to its natural beauty landscape, water sports, fishing, floating guest-house, mild climatic condition, accessible geographic location, variety of cultural heritages, historical places, old mosques, Center of Islamic Studies, traditional music and dancing, marching band, water festival, handicraft and souvenir, unique traditional, Bugis Cuisines and the distinct Wajo hospitals.

There are quite a number of entertainments and experiences to enjoy in Sengkang, (the heart of Wajo Bugis-Culture). Silk worm cultivation for instance, is some kind of amazing experience to be able to observe the natural silk process from silk-worms to become, a colorful hand weaving silk fabrics by means of home industry. Others could enjoy the boat festival or the fascinating sun set in Tempe Lake, or perhaps one may be interested to see the traditional mutual-aids in irrigation, the public utilities maintenance, communal system for paddy harvesting, traditional fish market, fisherman wharf, on-water live activities and a lot more exciting experiences to mention.

Visiting South Sulawesi region will be more enjoyable and complete with a view days stop over in SENGKANG, the heart of Wajo Bugis culture, on the way to Tana Toraja or other tourist’s destinations in the province.