Suara.com – Google doodle displays an image of Pinisi today, Thursday (7/12/2023) on the start page of its search engine.
Pinisi is a ship that originates from South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The art of Pinisi shipbuilding was designated as a UNESCO world cultural heritage on 7 December 2017 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Until now, Pinisi shipbuilding itself can still be found in several areas of South Sulawesi, such as in Tana Beru, Bira, and Batu Licin in Balukumba Regency.
The Pinisi ship appears in the Google doodle because it is a legendary ship that has existed since the 1500s and was widely used by sailors from Bugis, Konjo and Mandar in South Sulawesi.
This ship is characterized by sails and two main masts. Currently, there are several types of Pinisi ships which are differentiated based on their sails, hull shape, and the method and purpose of their use.
“Doodle celebrates the Pinisi, a sailing ship originating from South Sulawesi. The word Pinisi traditionally refers to a type of gaff-ketch rigging on Indonesian sailboats. Today, the word is usually used to describe most of Sulawesi’s wooden ships,” wrote Google on the official Pinisi ship doodle page.
The Pinisi ship is sailing in Singapore waters (Pinisi.id Documentation)
Reporting from Explore Makassar, the origin of the name of the Pinisi ship itself is still mysterious because there are many versions circulating.
Some claim that the name Pinisi comes from one of the historical ports in Venice, Italy. The city was visited by ancient sailors where perhaps this type of ship sail originated.
However, a different version states that a King Tallo named his boat Pinisi at the beginning of the 17th century.
The latest version even says that a person named Pinisi passed by at Tanjung Bira and reprimanded one of the ship captains, telling him that the sail he was using still needed to be repaired.
Since then, the Bira people designed the screen in such a way and finally it took the form of the Pinisi screen as it is today. Thanks to the person’s warning, the Bira people finally called the screen Pinisi.
But unfortunately, none of the stories above have a credible source.
Considering that the Pinisi ship comes from Indonesia, this doodle only appears in Indonesian territory.
Users can click on the image of the Pinisi ship on the start page of the Google search and the search results will display all articles related to the Pinisi ship.