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Indonesian Journal of Law and Society (2020) 1:1 57-74 
ISSN 2722-4074 | DOI: 10.19184/ijls.v1i1.16769 
Published by University of Jember, Indonesia 
Available online 31 March 2020 
 
 
 

* Corresponding authors’ e-mail: pdhelima@gmail.com 

The Cost of Panai As the Marriage Requirement 
for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law  
 
Dhelima Putri Laksana* 
University of Jember, Indonesia 
 
Dominikus Rato 
University of Jember, Indonesia 
 
Emi Zulaikha 
University of Jember, Indonesia 

 
ABSTRACT. This research aims to examine the legal phenomena of the application of the panai 
money, the cost imposed for the migrant Bugis customary law community in Sukabumi Village, 
Mayangan District, Probolinggo City, East Java. In other words, Panai' money is such customary 
money which must be handed over in Bugis tribal marriages. The data analysis method used is 
descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques using literature study, observation, interviews, 
and documentation. The results of this study indicate that the submission of panai money has 
become a tradition that originated from an ancestor that is still valid today. Due to the high panai 
money, however, many of the Bugis people who wander no longer use panai money, as it takes 
into account the weakness of their customary values, as well as the many other cultures that 
influence, but there are still people who still defend it because of their strong customary values 
which they still hold even though in the migrant area. Because panai money ’is a tradition that 
has long been a benchmark for Bugis people, this tradition still strongly considers moral sanctions, 
and the avoidance of this money is responded by some people to decide to elope. 

KEYWORDS: Migrant Bugis Tribe, Marriage Law, Adat Law. 

 

 

 
Copyright © 2020 by Author(s) 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International 
License. All writings published in this journal are personal views of the authors and do not 

represent the views of this journal and the author's affiliated institutions. 

Submitted: 12/02/2020   Reviewed: 14/02/2020   Accepted: 10/03/2020 



58 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 

I. INTRODUCTION 

Marriage is a lifelong bond, which has been authorized by God. Marriage is 
also a medium for someone's life, where it brings a man and a woman 
together to form a new life. Marriage is a gate of the formation of a family 
that is in the life of the community, which is sometimes guaranteed the 
survival of the community in marriage.1 Marriage not only requires 
something to just know, care, fulfillment, and commitment, but also requires 
an awareness of God in human life that leads him to the right path, the path 
to true happiness, and eternal. With marriage, it is what distinguishes 
humans from other God's creatures is the stage of unification to produce 
offspring, because humans in addition to having lust also have a mind which 
can think which is best for their lives in the future. This is stated in the 1945 
Constitution Article 28B paragraph (1) that everyone has the right to form 
a family and continue the family and continue the descent through a legal 
marriage. 

The purpose of the verse is that the marriage is legally declared if those who 
do marriages according to Islam, then the recording can be done at the Office 
of Religious Affairs (KUA), while for those who are Catholic, Christian, 
Buddhist, Hindu, the recording can be done at the Civil Registry Office 
(CAPIL). If the marriage has been registered, then all family members are 
guaranteed life by the state. In Article 1 of the Marriage Law Number 1 of 
1974 concerning Marriage states that marriage is an inner-outer bond 
between a man and a woman as husband and wife with the aim of forming a 
happy, eternal family (household) based on a Godhead. 

The importance of marriage is also felt by the people in South Sulawesi 
Province, specifically Makassar. For them marriage is very important to 
continue their offspring. The long marriage process, as well as the many 
mandatory requirements that must be met, make the Bugis people have to 
bear the shame if one of the conditions is not met. In accordance with the 

 
1  Rato, Dominikus 2011. Marriage Law and Customary Inheritance (Kinship System, 

Form of Marriage and Customary Inheritance Patterns in Indonesia). Surabaya: 
Laksbang Yustitia. at 14. 



59 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

customs prevailing in Bugis-Makassar, most of the requirements in 
conducting marriages are borne by the men, and almost all costs in carrying 
out the Bugis traditional marriages are borne by the men.2. 

One of the conditions in a marriage in the Bugis tribe in Makassar, South 
Sulawesi is to provide panai money, or what is often called the Bugis tribe 
community, do 'menre'/doi 'panai (doi 'shopping)3. Panai own money means 
the amount of money that will be fulfilled or given by men to women before 
stepping into the marriage procession given at the time of mapa'nessa which 
in the event negotiates and decides on everything related with a marriage 
procession.4 

The panai money itself began in the Dutch colonial era. At that time the 
Dutch youth arbitrarily married the Bugis-Makassar woman he wanted, but 
after getting them he remarried to marry another woman, and left his wife. 
Until finally the culture left an impression on the Bugis-Makassar 
community. This is what makes Bugis women of ancient times seemingly 
insignificant and have no self-respect. However, gradually the culture has 
changed, since the arrival of a young man to marry a daughter of a Bugis 
aristocratic family. Parties from the daughter's family refused not without 
reason, but seeing that they had heard the culture that had once happened, 
they worried that her daughter's fate would be the same as other women. 
Finally, to prove whether the young man was serious or not, the parents of 
the daughter requested that the young man provide the money that is now 
known as the 'predetermined' money. This was done not to burden the 
young man, but to raise the degree of women at that time. After the dowry 
is determined, the young man goes to find a way to get the dowry. Arrange 
the young man, to find money for the girl he wants to marry. After years of 
wandering, finally the money desired by the daughter's parents was fulfilled. 

 
2  Lamallongeng. 2007. The Dynamics of Indigenous Marriage in the Bugis Bone Society. 

Bone: Culture & Tourism Office of BoneRegency at 6. 
3  Sri Rahayu Yudi. 2015. "Nai's Money: Between Love and Prestige". Journal of Jamal 

Multiparadigm Accounting. Volume. 6 Number 2 at 225. 
4  Yunus, 2018. Islamic Values in the Marriage Process of the Bugis Society. Journal of 

Humanities: Islam and Culture. Volume 2, No. 1, June 2018 at 90. 



60 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
The young man went to meet the daughter's parents and give money in 
accordance with what they want. Seeing the sincerity of the young man, the 
daughter's parents gave up their children to become his wife. 

The amount of panai money itself is influenced by many factors, one of 
which is the social status inherent in the two brides' candidates both from 
the social status of men and the social status of women. The higher the status 
the higher the panai money will be given. It is not uncommon for marriages 
to be canceled because of the high 'panai money', the party of men must give 
up the marriage that was dreamed of since they were unable to meet the 
demand for the 'panai money'. With the reality that is happening, the 
meaning of panai money 'itself has changed from the real intention, panai 
money' is used as a place of prestige to show excessive economic capacity, 
because of the high cash money 'which is the main requirement in Bugis 
marriage, if the conditions are not filled with men has been regarded as shame 
or "ma siri '" (shame or self-esteem humiliated).5 In fact, it is not uncommon 
for requests from panai money to be used as weapons for the refusal of women 
to the men who come to propose if the men are not sanctioned by the parents 
of the women, the women will ask for the panai money 'as high as possible 
with the intention that the men were unable to meet the demand for the 
panai money. 

Many Bugis people migrate, making panai money 'no longer used in the 
marriage process. The Bugis people who now migrate to Java, especially the 
Probolinggo Regency, also no longer use the panai money 'as their main 
requirement and this makes it easier to dig up information because of the 
large number of Bugis people who have settled in Probolinggo. In addition, 
because the panai money 'is one of the characteristics of marriages in the 
tribe Bugis, as well as the amount of panai money' which is also influenced 
by various factors, making the panai attractive to be studied. 

 
5  Agustar, 2018, "The Tradition of Panaik Money in the Marriage of the Bugis Tribe in the 

Community of Sanglar Village, Reteh District, Indragiri Hilir Regency". JOM FISIP. 
Volume. 5 Number. 1. at 3. 



61 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

Based on the description above, this article is organized into three parts. The 
first part will review the meaning of panai. The second part analyzes the 
Bugis tribe community overseas who still retain the tradition of panai. The 
third part analyzes the impact of the money tradition panai if it is not 
provided. At the end of the writing the conclusions will contain the tradition 
of panai which is still being carried out by the Bugis tribe overseas and its 
impact if not given. 

 

II. PANAI MONEY: AN OVERVIEW 

Customary law is the law governing the forms of customary marriage, how 
to apply according to the customs of each region, customary marriage 
ceremonies, and termination of customary marriage in Indonesia.6 In 
marriage there are also a number of things that make a marriage valid. The 
legality of marriage according to the customary law community in Indonesia, 
for adherents of religion in general depends on the religion adopted by the 
community concerned. That is, if a marriage has been carried out according 
to the rules of religious law, then the marriage will be valid according to 
customary law.7 

In the view of the Bugis indigenous community, marriage itself aims to build, 
foster, and maintain harmonious family relations and kinship, and peace. 
That is because the values that live in indigenous peoples concern the 
purpose of marriage which must be regulated in an orderly manner, so as to 
avoid embarrassing irregularities and violations that can bring down the 
dignity, family honor and related relatives. 

In South Sulawesi, especially the Bugis-Makassar tribe, marriage is 
considered sacred by the community, because for them marriage is a bond 
between the family of the male and the family of the female which will form 

 
6  Rosdalina., 2016. Bugis Community Marriage Implementation of Law Number 1 of 1974 

concerning Marriage. Yogyakarta: Istana Publishing at 97. 
7  Hilman, Hadikusuma. 2007. Indonesian Marriage Law. According to the Law, 

Customary Law, Customary Law. Bandung: Mandar Maju at 26. 



62 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
a larger family unit. That thinking makes them appreciate marriage so much. 
One of them appreciates the existence of a tradition in the marriage of the 
Bugis-Makassar tribe that is closely related to family ties, namely the culture 
of siri (shame) regarding panai 'money or nai pacce.8 The recognition of the 
Bugis tribe community also confirms that in fact panai money 'is a 
characteristic of the local Bugis marriage customs.9 They also justified that 
panai money 'is a culture that must exist and is obligatory to do when making 
a marriage. 

Panai money itself is traditional money given by men to women in 
accordance with the agreement of the families of both parties. The purpose 
of the 'panai money' is to be used as a marriage fee when the marriage takes 
place at the bride's house.10 The function of the panai money tradition itself 
is the gift given economically which brings a shift in wealth because the panai 
money given has a high value.11 Socially, Bugis women have a high position 
and are respected. So overall the panai money 'is a gift given by the 
prospective bridegroom to the prospective bride. But the panai 'money will 
later be given to the parents of the women to be used as a wedding party. 
Marriage parties can actually be done in two places first at the women's 
residence, then at the men's residence. For parties which are held at women's 
places, the money used is usually 'panai money to buy the party preparations, 
while the parties that are held at the place of men use their own costs from 
the men.12 For the Bugis community a wedding party is an obligatory event 
to be held at the time of the wedding, even though the party is held in a 
simple form. This was done because according to the Bugis community, the 
wedding was held as a form of gratitude to the creator, where they could 

 
8   Hajra Yansa, et, al., 2016, Panai Money and Women's Social Status in the Siri 'Cultural 

Perspective of the Bugis Marriage of Makassar, South Sulawesi. Pena Journal. Volume 3. 
Number 2. at 526. 

9  Interviews with Mr. H. Muhammad Tahir and Hj.Samsu Nujung husband and wife 
of a native Bugis tribe overseas on 3 December 2018 

10  Soerojo Wignjodipoero. 1995. Introduction and Principles of Customary Law. Jakarta: 
Gunung Agung at 37. 

11  Hajra Yansa, supra note 8 at 526. 
12  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar 



63 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

gather with families far and near to watch the bride and groom join in the 
aisle.13 

Determination of the panai money itself is based on several determinants 
which according to Lamallongen usually pay attention to objective factors 
and subjective factors in mate selection, namely regarding the readiness to 
settle down. Objective factors that focus on issues concerning the economy, 
self-maturity, mental, character, and intelligence of both parties. The 
subjective factor focuses on the basis of love from both parties, which relates 
to feeling and loving one another.  

Panai money 'is given to the family of women during the mappa'nessa which 
besides talking about the amount of panai money', also determines the day 
and date of marriage and everything related to marriage. If the panai money 
given by the bride and groom is big, then the wedding celebration is held 
lively, but conversely if the panai money is given a little then the wedding 
party is also simple too. The 'panai money' tradition cannot apply if 
marriages are carried out by men who marry non-Buginese women. That is 
because the Bugis man will follow the culture of the woman's family he will 
marry, so the panai money applies if the marriage is carried out by the Bugis 
man and woman. However, this tradition is generally still maintained if 
Bugis women are proposed by non-Bugis men. This happens because in the 
Bugis traditional marriage tradition, women are the picked up party, so the 
customs used are the customs of the women.14 

The panai money given by these men, is not counted as a marriage dowry, 
but rather traditional money which is compulsory with the amount agreed 
upon by the families of both parties. Determination of the panai money 'is 
done when applying is not without reason but, the determination was made 
to reduce the frequency of divorce.15 The panai money itself can be replaced 
with items such as cars, houses or land according to the agreement, but the 
money must still be available even if only a little, because the goods given are 

 
13   Rosdalina, 2016,  supra note 6 at 72. 
14  Sri Rahayu Yudi, 2015, supra note 3 at 232. 
15  Rosdalina, 2016,  supra note 6 at 64. 



64 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
already of high value, so the rest of the panai money needn't be given in large 
quantities anyway.16 So with the determination of the amount of the panai 
'money the man intended to think of suing for his wife's divorce given the 
huge cost he had incurred during the application. These high requirements 
were put forward so that men would appreciate the efforts of parents who 
gave birth to their daughters, raising them with affection to growing up. 17 
For the Bugis community, especially parents, a high amount of panai money 
is also likened to a substitute for milk money while they are raising their 
children. Panai money 'is not directly given to the bride-to-be like a bride, 
but rather is given to the prospective wife's parents, so it can be said that the 
absolute right of the panai money holder' is the prospective wife's parents to 
finance all the needs of the wedding party.  

For the Bugis community, substantial determination of spending money 
based on social status, education, descent, etc. is already a tradition and habit 
of the Bugis community.18 The reason for the tradition must be followed 
other than because it has existed since ancient times, another reason is 
because if they do not do that tradition and they follow, it will cause a moral 
burden for their families, which is a form of ridicule from the surrounding 
community and even family.19 

Of all the assumptions about the tradition of panai money' ranging from the 
amount of panai money, determinant of the amount, to the negative 
assumption of this tradition, actually panai money 'has its own meaning for 
the Bugis community, among others. First, social Meaning. Panai money 'is 
a tradition to maintain the status and self-esteem of Bugis women, bearing 
in mind that in the past Dutch youth who arbitrarily dropped the pride of 
Bugis women by remarrying with other women. Panai 'money is also done 
by the parents of the woman to test the seriousness of the man to marry his 

 
16  Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis couple on 

December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika 
17  Interview with H. Bustamin husband of a husband and wife of a native Bugis tribe 

overseas on 18 December 2018 at the home of H. Bustamin 
18  Rosdalina, supra note 6  at 64. 
19  Ibid. 



65 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

daughter. Second, economic Meaning. Panai money 'is a tradition which is 
used as a form of help made by the Bugis tribe community to ease the cost 
of marriage. Third, legal Meaning. Panai Money which is a tradition that 
has existed since the days of the ancients which is still used today, if it is no 
longer used, it will cause a canceled marriage because men cannot fulfill the 
conditions of Bugis marriage and must bear the shame of their actions. 
Fourth, cultural Meaning. Where people who still retain the panai money 
tradition as a tradition that must be preserved, so the community continues 
to do it even if they are not in Bugis or in the overseas area. 

 

III. PANAI IN THE BUGIS TRADITION 

Bugis-Makassar is an area that has fertile plains so that almost all Bugis 
people choose to work as farmers. However, because the cost of living from 
working as a farmer is not able to support their daily lives, finally some 
people, especially the Bugis youth, choose another livelihood, namely as a 
fisherman, Not only turned into a fisherman in his own area, the Bugis youth 
also went abroad to supplement his living expenses. They decided to go 
abroad to support their lives and family in their hometowns, but they also 
worked hard for very expensive marriages. Most of them work as traders in 
their overseas areas, because keeping in mind the tradition of panai money 
that has been passed down for generations.20 

The hard work done by the Bugis youth is inseparable from the philosophy 
of marriage, which is still used as a guide before deciding to get married. 
Philosophy contains the things that must be owned by a young man if he 
wants to get married. The philosophy is "Around the Kitchen Seven Times" 
which in Bugis reads makkalu kitcheneng wekka pitu. This philosophy is 
intended for young Bugis who want to get married or want to let go of their 
bachelor. 

 
20  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar. 



66 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
The number seven in this philosophy means that there are seven stages or 
conditions that must be understood before fostering a family in a marriage 
bond or entering domestic life. The first stage includes the first who has 
mental readiness, the second has the maturity of thinking, the third 
understands responsibility, the fourth is able to be a good leader or priest for 
his family, the fifth is able to be wise in solving problems, the sixth is able to 
be a good role model for his family, Seventh is able to become someone who 
has a consistent nature. If all these stages have been mastered, it means that 
the Bugis youth are considered able to settle down.  

This philosophy is a motivation for the Bugis youth to go abroad, in addition 
to the lover of hearts who will become his wife, meet the conditions of 
marriage, also used to prepare for the marriage party because in fact in the 
Bugis tribe the marriage is done by parents matching their children.21 In 
Bugis custom, marriage is not only about giving dowry and marriage contract 
like marriage in general, but there are still requirements that must be met 
before marriage. The requirement is the existence of a large sum of money 
sometimes not small, depending on the agreement of the two families. 
Determining the amount of panai money, one of which can also be seen from 
the strata of a man or strata of women. Achieving such a high degree in a 
social stratification system for the aristocracy is very important. But the 
recognition of the social strata is seen not only from marriage but can also 
occur because of other public activities, such as the place where men work. 

Panai money itself is a tradition that has existed since previous ancestors to 
this day is still ongoing and is used by the community as the main 
requirement and as a characteristic of marriages from Bugis Adat. If seen 
from the early history of the 'panai money', the purpose and purpose of the 
panai money 'was symbolized as a form of appreciation to the women, but 
now it has turned into spending money, in preparation for a wedding. 

 
21  Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis couple on 

December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika. 
 



67 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

The panai money which has changed function has now become a place of 
prestige to maintain the dignity of the family, making consideration of the 
perception of others outside the family about the bride and groom. And 
because of this, many Bugis young men decided to migrate, bearing in mind 
that there was a large amount of panai money to hold a wedding, as well as 
many determinants of the panai money, from education, social equivalents, 
to where the men worked. guys. They will consider other people's 
perceptions about the amount of panai 'if they give panai money' in a low 
amount, given the existence of culture siri'. 

Changing the aims and objectives of the 'panai money tradition' currently 
results in many men perceiving that panai money 'is a burdensome tradition, 
if the men come from lower middle income families, even feeling burdened 
by the tradition of panai money' which is valued This height is the main 
requirement for the marriage process.22 

The change in the function of panai money 'caused many people to think 
about the high amount of panai money' which made most men migrate to 
look for women outside Makassar with the intention that when they were 
married, they did not have to pay a lot of money. The large number of people 
who migrate is also one factor that the panai money tradition 'is no longer 
used as the main requirement in marriage. Apart from the fact that their 
traditional values are weak, the existence of foreign cultures from each region 
also makes the tradition untenable. However, there are still many people who 
still maintain the tradition because of the strong customary values they hold 
so that panai money 'remains a mandatory requirement in conducting 
marriages, other than because of strong customary values the Bugis people 
consider that the panai money tradition' is a tradition from the ancestors 
which must be preserved, and must be guarded. For them, besides the panai 
money, which is used as the cost of a wedding, the money is also used as a 
tradition for gathering families from various regions, if the tradition is not 
practiced, then the families of both parties, especially women will be 

 
22  Hajra Yansa, supra note 3 at 529. 



68 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
ashamed.23 So some of the Bugis people who wander still maintain the 
tradition even though the panai money given is not too high. 

 

IV. IMPACTS OF THE PANAI TRADITION 

Panai money has long been a benchmark for the Bugis community, including 
in preparing for a wedding. Therefore, repeated behavior is carried out and 
occurs, if it is not done it will result in moral sanctions on the family, then 
the habit can be used as a source or guide in Bugis traditional marriages.24 So 
it can't be if a habit that has long been lived suddenly has to stop being done 
or deliberately not doing it for a reason. Usually a reason for the tradition of 
'panai money' is not done is because of a factor in determining the amount 
of panai money '. The amount of the panai 'money can be determined from 
the prevalence or prior agreement between family members who will carry 
out the marriage. But unfortunately now the determination of the panai 
'money cannot be seen from the sincerity and ability of the men. Many 
determine the amount of panai money 'from the strata level, education, 
descent, even seen from the beauty or good looks of both parties. 

The many assumptions about the tradition of panai money make the Bugis-
Makassar tribe people have to work hard, and struggle, in order to fulfill the 
requirements of the panai money 'to marry the idol of his heart, or to prepare 
for his marriage. One of the strong reasons that pushed them to work hard 
was to fulfill the main requirements of marriage according to Bugis custom, 
in order to be able to propose to the Bugis woman who was his lover.25 But 
the fact is working hard is not enough to be a guarantee, so that the main 
conditions in Bugis traditional marriages are met. There have been many 
men who have had to give up their relationship and go away from their lovers 

 
23  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar. 
24  Rosdalina, supra note 6 at 73. 
25  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar. 



69 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

to find another woman who does not ask for too much money.26 Those who 
do this are usually men who will marry women from among those who 
uphold the values of siri'. 

People who uphold siri ' or shame are usually concerned with status and 
behavior that reflect their social strata. As proof, if the panai money 'given 
by ordinary men is very low to marry Bugis women from the aristocracy, then 
the money given is not commensurate with the social strata of his family, it 
will cause shame for the family of the female party (siri').27 So that in 
determining the amount of panai money 'social strata is one of the most 
important factors. 

Someone who has high social strata will be very concerned about people's 
views about the culture of siri ' . If this happens, then the man who wants to 
get married, will look for a partner who has a social strata that are 
commensurate, according to the panai which is agreed by the man. 
According to the local people, the determinant of giving panai money ' is 
based on social status, education, ancestry, etc. which are traditions or 
customs of the Bugis custom.28 But, usually, the provisions of the amount of 
panai money apply to noble families, but no doubt the middle class 
community also think of the amount of panai money 'based on these factors. 

Among the nobles, regard panai money 'as a culture of ancestral heritage that 
is no longer used as a culture that must be preserved, but a culture of prestige 
to boast the identity of each family, used as a venue to show the wealth of 
each family.29 For those marriages must keep and maintain, so that blue 
blood continues to flow from their circles. The big or small plan of the 
wedding party that is held and the prices that apply in the market are also 
one of the determinants of the amount of panai 'money. So if the woman 

 
26  Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis couple on 

December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika. 
27  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar. 
28  Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and wife 

overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar. 
29  Ibid. 



70 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
wants to have a large wedding party and wants to ask for a high-value delivery 
item, the panai money requested will be high, and this makes the man must 
meet the relatively high requirements. But, even though it is compulsory that 
the panai money 'is only used as money to buy the needs of the wedding 
party, so if the panai money given by the men will not influence who will be 
the heir, because the kinship system used by the Bugis is parental so boys and 
girls are considered the same, so it doesn't have to be that one of their 
children follows his father's line because his father paid the panai money, 
because the panai money is only used as money for shopping purposes not to 
determine who has the right to be an heir or from whom their children get 
their inheritance rights. 

If the habit is not carried out or not followed, then there will be problems 
for the two families, one of which is to cause moral burdens for the family, 
or commonly called siri' (shame). Families will get ridicule from the 
surrounding community.30 Many of them also had to cancel their marriages 
because of the high sum of money, which caused one of the parties to decide 
to commit suicide or end his life. The culture of siri ' also reinforces the 
existence of these deeds, because their self-esteem is shamed; they are willing 
to exchange their lives, rather than having to live but feel burdened by the 
hurtful talk of people. 

For the Bugis community there is also a tradition of 'panai money' required, 
because the money is in exchange for the love of parents who have educated 
and raised their daughters.31 In addition, because Bugis traditional marriages 
are identical to the arranged marriages by both families, they oblige the 
tradition by increasing the amount of panai money 'to see the sincerity of the 
men. The panai money tradition is also seen as bothersome and burdensome 
for both men and women, which sometimes creates new problems for the 

 
30  Rosdalina, supra note 6 at 64. 
31  Interview with Mrs. Fatimah and Mr. Syamsul Laksana as husband and wife of 

different ethnic groups on December 30, 2018 at the house of Mr. Syamsul Laksana. 



71 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

family relationship of both parties, namely, their children who decide to 
elope due to a canceled or delayed marriage.32 

Besides that, another problem that arises from the 'panai money' is that if a 
man feels burdened after giving the panai money, then when there is a family 
dispute that causes the man to decide to divorce, many of the families of the 
men ask for compensation loss to court in the form of full refunds of cash. 
But because the panai money was classified as traditional and obligatory 
customary money which had been forfeited because it had been used for the 
purpose of a grand party with food that had been served at the wedding, the 
court could not grant the request of the men.33 So, the panai 'money that has 
been given cannot be asked to return whatever the reason, because previously 
there was an agreement at the time of application that men were able to fulfill 
these requirements. 

Another impact, according to an explanation from the Bugis community, is 
that sometimes they feel that the panai money is troublesome for both 
parties, that is, the woman is also troubling the men, which in turn will affect 
their lives.34 First if the Bugis man and woman who has long been in a 
relationship then the man decides to apply, but due to the high demand for 
the panai, the application must be postponed until the man can fulfill the 
demand for the woman. With the delay in the application, men sometimes 
have to be in debt so that the application can proceed. In addition, a man is 
free if he cannot marry a previous candidate, he will look for another woman, 
who will later accept his application. But even though they are free to look 
for other women, they will also bear the shame of his actions, because he 
does not have a strong desire to get married, and there is no preparation 
before marriage. They also must be willing if the dream of marriage with 
their idol must be canceled or postponed until men can fulfill these 

 
32  Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis couple on 

December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika. 
33  Interviews with Mr. H. Muhammad Tahir and Hj.Samsu Nujung husband and wife 

of a native Bugis tribe overseas on 3 December 2018  
34  Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis couple on 

December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika. 



72 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
requirements. For women, the impact is that they must be willing to be single 
for a long period of time or become an old maid, because they have to wait 
for a man's proposal, because they refuse a proposal from a man because the 
money given is not in accordance with their wishes. It is their fault that 
causes the men to not be able to fulfill, that is, they always raise the amount 
of panai money, and in the end the woman refuses, and the proposal is 
canceled. That sort of thing sometimes causes many men to withdraw to 
marry Bugis women, and women who are ready on their own if men decide 
not to continue marriage. 

 

V. CONCLUSION 

The panai money is a tradition that starts from its grandmother is 
determined by several factors including, education, social strata, social status, 
heredity. The high requirement for panai money is actually to show the 
meaning of the tradition of the panai money, which is to provide lessons for 
men to respect Bugis women, to see the seriousness of men if they want to 
propose Bugis women, and to be used as a means of helping to alleviate 
marriage costs.  

There is a philosophy that is still held by the Bugis community, that is, the 
kitchen with wekka pitu about marriage, the Bugis youth must work hard to 
get the money for marriage costs and meet the panai money which is 
mandatory and fairly high customary money. Due to the high amount of 
panai money, many Bugis migrants now no longer use panai money as the 
main requirement in marriage, due to the weakness of their customary values, 
as well as the many foreign cultures that influence it, but there are still people 
who continue to retain these traditions as the main conditions in marriage 
because of their strong customary values which they still hold even in 
overseas areas. 

Panai money is a tradition that has long been a benchmark for the Bugis 
community in preparing for a wedding. Therefore, behavior that is 



73 | Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 
 
 
 

repeatedly carried out and occurs, if not done it will result in moral sanctions. 
Moral sanctions in the form of ridicule from family and even neighbors. In 
addition, the change in the purpose and objectives of the panai money made 
the marriage null and void because the men refused the high pay. Many of 
his marriages had to be postponed because of the high sum of the money. 
The panai itself is determined by education, social strata, descent, and usually 
these provisions apply to high society or nobility. With this provision, some 
of them chose to exchange their lives if they could not meet the money, or 
even some of them decided to elope because the marriage had to be 
postponed. 

 

REFERENCES 

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Hilman, Hadikusuma. 2007. Indonesian Marriage Law. According to the Law, 
Customary Law, Customary Law. Bandung: Mandar Maju. 

Lamallongeng. 2007. The Dynamics of Indigenous Marriage in the Bugis Bone 
Society. Bone: Culture & Tourism Office of BoneRegency. 

Rato, Dominikus 2011. Marriage Law and Customary Inheritance (Kinship 
System, Form of Marriage and Customary Inheritance Patterns in 
Indonesia). Surabaya: Laksbang Yustitia. 

Rosdalina., 2016. Bugis Community Marriage Implementation of Law Number 
1 of 1974 concerning Marriage. Yogyakarta: Istana Publishing. 

Soerjono Soekanto. 1986. Introduction to Legal Research. Jakarta: University 
of Indonesia (UI PRESS). 

Soerjono Soekanto. 2006. Normative Legal Research A Short Review. Jakarta: 
Raja Grafindo Persada. 

Soerojo Wignjodipoero. 1995. Introduction and Principles of Customary Law. 
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74 | The Cost of Panai as the Marriage Requirement for the Migrant Bugis Tribe under Adat Law 
 
 
 
Agustar, 2018, "The Tradition of Panaik Money in the Marriage of the Bugis 

Tribe in the Community of Sanglar Village, Reteh District, Indragiri Hilir 
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Hajra Yansa, et, al., 2016, Panai Money and Women's Social Status in the Siri 
'Cultural Perspective of the Bugis Marriage of Makassar, South Sulawesi. 
Pena Journal. Volume 3. Number 2. 

Muh. Rusli. 2012. Reinterpretation of Traditional Marriage of the Bugis Sidrap 
Tribe of South Sulawesi. KARSA, Vol. 20 No. 2, December 2012. 

Sri Rahayu Yudi. 2015. "Nai's Money: Between Love and Prestige". Journal of 
Jamal Multiparadigm Accounting. Volume. 6 Number.2. 

Yunus, 2018. Islamic Values in the Marriage Process of the Bugis Society. Journal 
of Humanities: Islam and Culture. Volume 2, No. 1, June 2018. 

 Makassar Terkini. The Meaning of Daeng Calls for Bugis Tribes. In 
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Accessed on 10 January 2019, 13.22. 

 

Interviews 

Interviews with Mr. H. Muhammad Tahir and Hj.Samsu Nujung husband 
and wife of a native Bugis tribe overseas on 3 December 2018 

Interview with H. Bustamin husband of a husband and wife of a native Bugis 
tribe overseas on 18 December 2018 at the home of H. Bustamin 

Interview with Mr. Agus and Mrs. Siti Hajar, an ethnic Bugis husband and 
wife overseas on December 18, 2018 at the house of Mr. Agus and Mrs. 
Siti Hajar 

Interview with Hj. Rika, the wife of H. Arifin, a native and married Bugis 
couple on December 30, 2018 at Hj. Rika. 

Interview with Mrs. Fatimah and Mr. Syamsul Laksana as husband and wife 
of different ethnic groups on December 30, 2018 at the house of Mr. 
Syamsul Laksana.