Abstract: This study observed three ethnic minorities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia: Bentong, Konjo and Bajo. These three ethnic minorities have their own local languages which they use in daily life. They are categorized as minority groups, since, they form a very small proportion of the total population of this province. They live in relative isolation. The Bentong ethnic group lives in the mountainous regions of Barru District, the Kajang people lives in forested area of Bulukumba District and the Kajo group live along the gulf of bone. They endeavor to preserve the traditions and culture of their ancestors. One tradition of interest is that the way they preserve their oral literary heritage through the generations. For them, literature has a moral value and can be used as a guide to life. From diachronic perpective, their literary heritage are now threatened with extinction as the attitude of the younger generation towards language begins to shift. This study is exploratory in nature using a participative observation approach. The methods applied were indepth interview, note-taking, check and recheck. The results show that the ethno-literature of the three ethnic groups is the mantra category. Furthemore, the mantras themselves have become an integral part of their belief system.