Sulawesi’s Hypnotizing Pakarena Dance

The art of dancing has revolutionized the world. Translating one’s energy into funky dance moves to help express their thoughts and feelings. Nowadays, modern dance is everywhere, ranging from the newest TikTok dance to a recent comeback from a rookie K-Pop group. Practically everyone knows how to dance now. Whether it be the boogie, the moonwalk, or even stiff and robotic movements. However, even though we currently live in a world of rapid globalization, traditional dances still manage to survive this worldwide phenomenon. Indonesia is home to over 3,000 traditional dances, scattered throughout the archipelago. Traditional dances such as Saman and Piring are some of the more popular ones. But, even though that is the case, more underrated Indonesian dances, such as the Pakarena dance, should still be known for its art. 


Pakarena dance, also known as ‘Tari Kipas or ‘Fan Dance’, is an intricate and detailed traditional dance all the way from South of the Sulawesi island. Originating from the ancient Gowa Sultanate, the word ‘Pakarena’ is believed to have come from the word ‘karena’, meaning ‘to play’ in the local language. According to Wonderful Indonesia, the dance has spread widely throughout the region and the surrounding areas, producing numerous variations of the dance in multiple locations. Some of these variants include Pakarena Balla Bulo (Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi), Pakarena Gantarang (Gantarang Lalang Bata, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi), and Pakarena Bontobangung (Bontobangung, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi). The Pakarena dance can also differ according to the type of performance. For example, the Pakarena Royongwhich dance is strictly only allowed to perform during ritualistic ceremonies. With the wide variety of dance forms, it truly makes the Pakarena dance such a diverse one. From its influence in the Sulawesi island to its captivating choreography, Pakarena dance is bound to be recognized as something bigger than just simple dance moves. 

The Pakarena dance is meant to express Gowa and Makassar’s (the region right next to Gowa) ethnic women’s elegance, therefore symbolizing their obedience, politeness, respect, and loyalty towards their spouses and partners. In a typical Pakarena performance, the dance is played in 12 parts, each with its own distinct meanings and philosophy. To the untrained eye, each segment might be difficult to differentiate as patterns pop up similarly. Dancers are required to be women, since the whole purpose of the dance is to reflect on the positive qualities of Gowa women. Although, this dance does have some rules that may seem odd to the average person. For one, dancers must not open their eyes too wide and lift their feet too high. This rule is applied throughout the entire duration of the performance, with one full Pakarena performance being around roughly 2 hours. Another rule is that even though there isn’t a set number of dancers per performance, Pakarena Balla Bulo is only allowed to have performers in odd numbers of 5, 7, or 9. Besides all that, Pakarena dance performances are meant to be accompanied by an assortment of classic Indonesian instruments, including Gendang percussion, a gong, kenong, kancing-kancing, and pui-pui, producing vibrant music for the audience to enjoy. As for attire, Pakarena dancers don colorful traditional costumes, with the main outfit consisting of a hand-woven Baju Pahang and a nicely woven Lipa’ Sabbe (a sort of traditional silk sarong from South Sulawesi), with gold jewelry and accessories, and a tied-up bun to help adorn and finish off the rest of the look. All the specific details put into a single performance really accentuate just how important this dance is to the people of South Sulawesi, especially the philosophical and religious implications behind the dance. 

The Pakarena dance, at its very core, is a representation of multiple things. Gratitude from the people to God up above, lessons about the continuous cycle of human life, and, as stated before, the ideal characteristics of the women from the Gowa and Makassar regions. This is highly evident in some of the Pakarena dance moves. One such example is when the performers are sitting down, a move meant to both commence and end the performance. The rotating motion following the clockwise direction is supposed to represent a constant human life cycle. Whilst the up and down motions symbolize the wheel of life, where sometimes in life we are at the top, and sometimes we’re at the bottom. In all of these dance moves, the dancers hold and wave around distinct traditional fans as part of the choreography, making the fans some of the most important parts of the dance. Additionally, according to some local Makassar people, the Pakarena dance may have actually originated from the legend of the partition between the inhabitants of heaven (boting langi) and the ones on Earth (lino). Legend says that the inhabitants of heaven, before leaving for the sacred holy place, first taught people on earth about the ways of life, such as how to hunt and grow crops. These lessons were then expressed and translated through movements of the hands, feet, and bodies. Going back to the symbolic dance moves, this then resulted in the evolution of perfected choreography performed by the pakarena dancers, in which the local people would perform the dance during ritualistic events to show their thanks to God. Thus, it is no wonder that the choreography for the Pakarena dance is so extraordinary, as it blends art, important ideals, and local mythology, making it a unique art form. 

In summary, the Pakarena dance is a symbol of religious and philosophical artistry that helps to further express the people’s gratitude towards God. It’s been around for centuries, though there aren’t any official records of documents indicating when the dance first appeared. But it is a known fact that the Pakarena dance was an official dance during Sultan Hasanuddin’s (the 16th Sultan of Gowa) reign from the years 1653 to 1669. The Sultan’s mother, I Sabbe Lokmo Daeng Takontu, is also believed to have influenced Pakarena, furthering the importance of this dance in South Sulawesi. Not only is the Pakarena dance one that helped shape and resonate with the people, but also with the region’s culture and history. 





References 


Indonesia Travel. (2025b, November 18). Pakarena Dance. The Official Website of Indonesia Tourism - Indonesia Travel. https://www.indonesia.travel/nl/nl/travel-ideas/culture/makassar---pakarena-dance/ 

Pakarena Dance, Traditional Dance From South Sulawesi. My Indonesian. (n.d.-b). https://myindonesiann.blogspot.com/2017/10/pakarena-dance-dance-from-south-sulawesi.html 

The Delicate Movements of Tari Kipas, South Sulawesi. Visit Indonesia The Most Beautiful Archipelago in The World. (2012, April 30). https://www.indonesia-tourism.com/blog/the-delicate-movements-of-tari-kipas-south-sulawesi/

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