Jakarta, Indonesia - Republic of
BISSU MEMBERS LISTEN TO THEIR DIRECTOR BEFORE A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE IN JAKARTA.
Members of the Bissu, a transvestite community from South Sulawesi, listen to their director before a performance in Jakarta July 11. The Bissu, highly-respected transvestite priests, are regarded as artists, holy people and caretakers of royal Bugis weaponry and are believed to have the ability to communicate to gods using a sacred language. The advent of Islam has significantly reduced their numbers.
DW