Lontara

Lontara manuscript at the Balla Lompoa Museum

Lontara or lontaraq (ᨒᨚᨈᨑ) are Bugis-Makassar palm-leaf manuscripts that record knowledge on such topics as history, science, custom, and laws.[1] The term originates from the Javanese/Malay word lontar, which is the name of the palm tree Borassus flabellifer that provides the leaves used.

The types of lontara includes[2]

  1. attoriolong (bug) patturioloang (mak) – history
  2. bilang or kotika (bug-mak) – characteristics of each day of the week
  3. adeʼ (bug) or adaʼ (mak) – adat
  4. ulu ada (bug) or ulu kana (mak) – past treaties or texts between kingdoms or countries
  5. alopi-lopping (bug) – shipping adat
  6. pangoriseng (bug) or pannossorang (mak) – genealogies of the royals.
  1. ^ A. E., Fachruddin (1999). Ritumpanna Wélenrénngé: sebuah episoda sastra Bugis klasik Galigo. Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia. p. 36. ISBN 9789794613184.
  2. ^ Andi Zainal Abidin (October 1971). "Notes on the Lontara' as Historical Sources". Indonesia. 12 (12). Indonesia: Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University: 159–172. doi:10.2307/3350664. hdl:1813/53521. JSTOR 3350664.