The
Makassar people (also known as
Mangasara,
Mengkasara,
Macassar,
Taena,
Tena, or
Gowa) are an ethnic group that inhabits the southern part of the
South Peninsula, Sulawesi. They live around
Makassar, the capital city of the province of
South Sulawesi, as well as the Konjo highlands, the coastal areas, and the
Selayar and Spermonde islands. They speak
Makassarese, which is closely related to
Buginese and also a Malay creole called Makassar Malay.