I La Galigo, the vast Bugis epic myth, is one of the most voluminous works in world literature. Set in Luwuq, the cradle of Bugis culture, the cycle tells the story of the initial residence on earth of the gods and their descendants. ""The Birth of La Galigo"", the poem found herein, represents a contemporary retelling of one of the epic's most popular sections.

Translated by: John H. McGlynn