Who are the Pannei?

The Pannei people live in the district of Wonomulyo, in the regency of Polewali-Mamasa in the province of South Sulawesi.Sulawesi is a large mountainous island often described as being shaped like an orchid or crab. It has a coastline of about 5,000 kilometers and consists mainly of four peninsulas separated by deep gulfs, with two of the peninsulas extending southward and two northeastward.

They use the Pannei language in daily life. This language has two dialects, Tapango and Bulo.

What are their lives like?

The Pannei make their living in various ways. They work as farmers, fishermen, craftsmen, traders/merchants, and government officials. The craftsmen usually are known as tukang or panre. The term tukang is used for the group of society that work as carpenters or stonemasons. The term panre is used for those that are homebuilders (panre bola), gold and silver crafters (panre ulaweng), and blacksmiths (panre besi). They also use specific terms to describe clothing tailors (pa’jai), cloth weavers (pa’tennung) and those who manufacture iron (pa’lanro).

Other jobs include government positions and the military. Government officials are known as pajama kantoro (office officials), which also includes teachers. Those in the military usually are known as surodadu (soldier).

In the past guerilla-fighters were called pa’barani (courageous person). These warriors served the Bugis kingdom against other kingdoms initially, and later fought against the Dutch colonialists. The pa’barani were reputed to always be eager to fight; engaging in conflict or war without regard for personal safety, for the glory of the king and the kingdom.

What do they believe?

Almost all Pannei people are followers of Islam. The area where they live has many mesjid (mosques) and langgar (prayer houses) for worship. The goal is to have a mesjid or langgar within easy walking distance for each family.

At the same time, traditional animistic beliefs are still strong in daily life. The services of a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) are often sought for many purposes, including healing the sick and exorcising evil spirits.

The Pannei believe in the power of unseen spirits that inhabit sacred places and are thought to bring either misfortune or prosperity. The departed spirits of their ancestors are thought to be alive and able to watch over the behavior of both adults and children. Due to these beliefs, a system of veneration and worship of these spirits has emerged, typically taking the form of ceremonies and ritual offerings.

What are their needs?

The Pannei people are viewed by outsiders as being behind the times, closed off, and impoverished. If this is accurate, and the Pannei are open to outside help, there is a wide variety of assistance that could be given to help the progress of the Pannei.

A wide range of new employment opportunities needs to be created. Formal education in school and vocational training in a wide variety of skills would be helpful. There are many infrastructure needs in the area that could be addressed to help the Pannei people.