Once upon a time, long before Bugis Street became the retail maze we know today, it was part of a thriving maritime world shaped by the seafaring Bugis people—traders, navigators, and master diplomats of the Nusantara. These were men from Sulawesi, especially Makassar, who sailed down in fleets of wooden prau, anchoring off Singapore’s shores to trade in spices, silk, and forest products with the Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Europeans, Orang Laut and other indigenous communities. 

The Bugis people were often misunderstood as violent largely due to colonial narratives shaped by European powers like the Dutch and later the British. These powers saw the Bugis not just as traders, but as formidable competitors who held deep influence over the maritime trade routes of the Malay Archipelago. The Bugis were bold, independent, and fiercely protective of their trade networks and allies, including many indigenous communities.

Their influence was vast—they controlled key parts of the spice route, not through conquest, but through deep regional networks built on trust and commerce. But when the Dutch East India Company arrived, hungry for monopoly, they saw these proud maritime traders as a threat. To justify their aggression, they branded the Bugis as pirates. Yet in truth, it was never piracy—it was power. Nutmeg, after all, was worth more than gold, and the Bugis weren’t about to give it up without a fight. 

That legacy, bold and misunderstood, still lingers beneath the concrete of Bugis Street today, if only we take the time to listen. I am more than happy to share with you that story.