Culinary Inspirations: My Bugis food heritage

Burasak is the Bugis version of lontong, nasi himpit or ketupat. – Photos: KALSOM TAIB

My father, Taib bin Andak, is of Bugis and Javanese descent. Andak’s father, Jamak bin Majok bin Menatah came from Wajo in the island of Sulawasi to the Malay Peninsular after the fall of Makassar to the Dutch in the 19 th century.

After many years of unregulated trading, the Bugis faced restrictions in their trading activities imposed by the formalisation of trade rules set by the Dutch. Many tried to avoid the formal trade routes controlled by the Dutch but the situation became onerous.