Immanent domains: Ways of living in Bone, Indonesia.

Abstract

The dissertation is based upon research done in Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Primary attention is paid to the relations among the members of the several social categories and the differential criteria for social action deemed sufficient and necessary by each. As a consequence of these interests, the bulk of the data gathered during this research derives from the interaction of the various branches of the Bone nobility, and the economic strategies of commoner families in the fishing village of Bajoe, which adjoins Watampone, Bone's capital. The discussion of this data in the dissertation has three major points of focus. First, it is argued that the Bugis of Bone themselves emphasize several cultural motifs as defining features of their existence. These motifs are the core of an attempt to establish the prerequisites for social action, particularly regarding the making and unmaking of personal status at a variety of social levels. Second, these factors, especially as they manifest themselves in the explicit connection between local history, politics, and Bone's current position in the broader regional and national arenas are contextualized with respect to the overarching structure of the Indonesian republic. The national government's ongoing effort to develop a pan-Indonesian culture is particularly important here. Third, the Bugis-Bone hegemonic system and its integration with domestic social organization is explored by way of analyzing some politically charged events. An essential part of this analysis comes from the use of these events to provide insight into the motivations of the people who live through them. One central conclusion is that the capacity of each individual to change social structure lies in the cultural recognition of an individual's ability to reject society's ties. The Bugis idealize this ability in the expectation that violence will result from contentious interaction.