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Religion and Culture in the Betawi Wedding

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title: Religion and Culture in the Betawi Wedding: the Negotiation between Religion and Culture in the Betawi Wedding in Babelan Subsdistrict of Bekasi

Author: Siti Hunainah (CRCS, 2005)

Keywords: religion, culture, negotiation, wedding

Abtract:


The interaction between religion and local culture is an undeniable fact in the community; specifically it happened into the Betawi people. The Betawi wedding tradition is one pattern whereas both religion and local culture influences each other and it also gave some nuances in that procession. Interestingly, there is no one culture among others that represented when the Betawi people expressed their tradition. It means that the Betawi culture is an inclusive culture, and this possibly making the space of dialogue and negotiation with other cultures. Therefore, in Betawi culture unsurprisingly founded other elements of culture, such as Arab, Chinese, Sundanese, and Javanese culture. There are many stages in the Betawi wedding that is touching within Islamic religion and local culture. For example, maulidan, ziarah, paketan, etc. besides, there are many symbols in the procession itself, such as giving expenditure that symbolized by mosque miniature. It means that giving describes the money that gave by the husband to the wife for house needed, and this money obtained by legal method. There is also a tradition namely the barrier house opening tradition that is symbolizing the unflawed life of the house. It means that the couple marriage will face such conflict in their life. In addition, Betawi people still have the inheritance animism and it showed in the marriage procession. In every marriage celebration (keriaan), the celebrator firtly usually celebrate the ritual and giving offerings (sesajen) altogether. The offerings (ancak) put dawn into the forth angles of house. It is convinced to give the food to the spirit who settle in the village or their ancestral. By preparing the offerings (ancak) mean to save and to avoid the unwillling thing along the celebration. Certain aspect in the Betawi wedding showed the negotiation whereas the elements of religion and local culture found the meeting point.

The Dialectic of Muhammadiyah and Local Culture: Study on the Reorientation of Muhammadiyah's Manhaj Tarjih about Culture

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title : The Dialectic of Muhammadiyah and Local Culture: Study on the Reorientation of Muhammadiyah’s Manhaj Tarjih about Culture
Author : Syaugi (CRCS, 2005)
Keywords : Manhaj Tarjih, the Pure Islam, Muhammadiyah, Purification
Abstract :
The objective of this study were to know the manhaj tarjih (interpretation) of Muhammadiyah toward culture, and to know to what extent the dialectics of Muhammadiyah with the local culture taken place as the consequence of the new manhaj, which brought about diversity of religious behavioral in the Muhammadiyah followers.This study used qualitative approach based on the existing social reality in Muhammadiyah movement, which had historical, religious, and cultural dimensions. Since it was a literature research that used descriptive-analytical method based on textual study, the data collection used documentation. The data were classified into primary and secondary ones and analyzed by using systematic-descriptive method.The results showed that the propagation of Muhammadiyah to remotes had resulted in cultural fragmentation in its purification movement. Further, it was in line with the cultural proselytizing and the Islamic law spiritualizing programs that made its proselytizing style become accommodative in nature and was tolerant to the local culture. Moreover, with three approaches of bayani, burhani and irfani approaches as part of its manhaj tarjih, the purification ideology could run side by side with the socio-cultural approach. With the diversity of religious behavior of its followers in the pure Islamic ideological framework, it showed the dialectics with the local culture.

Kuman Mahwadhi-wadhi: The Symbol of Harmonization between Culture and Religion

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title : Kuman Mahwadhi-wadhi: The Symbol of Harmonization between Culture and Religion
Author : Thisye Ollyvie Pangkerego (CRCS, 2006)
Keywords : religion, culture, harmonization, acculturation, symbol
Abstract :
Kuman Mahwadhi-Wadhi as a practice of eating together is such an important part of every Christian rites in Kembes, a village in Minahasa. This practice is a harmonization which is result from the acculturation and purification of Christian with local culture. Clifford Geertz concept about culture as a pattern of meaning or the ideas including symbols which with that the community performs their knowledge about life and expressing that into certain symbols- is a right explanation in how we see and analyze the meaning of every culture symbols.An acculturation between Christian and local culture in Kuman Mahwadhi-wadhi form has some meaning of symbols: Gratefulness to Empung Wailan Wangko as a source of everything in human life as local culture belief was purified with new meaning as a gratefulness to God-a source of blessing. The Unity among this community is inspired by Mapalus system-living in togetherness and share helps each other in everything. Its value is reinforcing with an explanation that community is a Body of Christ that living together and sharing love each other. Equality is emphasized to interaction of Kembes community. It describes an understanding about the Sacrifation of Jesus Christ who come and become a man into the world, and cleans the sin of this world.As a run of time, the harmonization is facing with some conflicts caused of modernity. Kuman Mahwadhi-wadhi does not understanding as a holy part of a rites, but now, it tends to be an appendix which related to social status of the member of the community. It is also become a life style of consumerist. It is clear that Kuman Mahwadhi-wadhi has a differentiation meaning; unfortunately, it is supported by church, which does not make a move to reform the meaning of the symbols.

Interaction Patterns of Arab Descendants' Community and Local Population in Gapuro Sukolilo Village

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title :  Interaction Patterns of Arab Descendants’ Community and Local Population in Gapuro Sukolilo Village, Gresik
Author : Ummu Hafidzah (CRCS, 2007)
Keywords : acculturation, assimilation, overt culture, covert culture
Abstract :
This research aims at describing the interaction patterns of kampong Arab Gresik society that is heterogenic and their impacts to the culture of population there. The hypotheses that are proposed here are: (1) generally, Arab descendants can be grouped in two characteristics: Firstly, people who have been integrated to society by assimilation process; secondly, people who still have had an identity of Arabness and existed in acculturation border; (2) the impact of the integration, the intrinsic part of Arab descendants society’s culture (overt culture) has changed and the extrinsic one (covert culture) has still held and practiced.
Subject of thesis research is Arab descendants’ community in Gapuro Sukolilo Village, Gresik. The colleting data is attained by using observing participants, and taking the in depth interview to such a person, scholars, and certain respondent who have any relation to the topic being researched. Later on, the data, which collected through field research and library research, are then analyzed descriptively, interpretively, and critically as well.

The research finding shows that there are various factors which influence the integration process in Gapuro Sukolilo Village. They come not only from Arabic ethnic group itself but also from local population. The supporting factors are mixed marriage and economic cooperation. The inhibiting factors are prejudice and stereotype. Besides, there are binding factors that can minimize conflict: similarity of religion, interdependence and brotherhood feeling. The impact of integration to Arab descendants’ community can be seen on their extrinsic (physical) culture such as rites (rites of passages and rites of Islamic holy days), traditions (food, building, language, art, and medicinal treatment), values (education and women’s position), and symbols (dress and mosque). But, they have still held on some intrinsic culture, like kafa’ah (equality of rank), patriarchal system in kinship, and way of visiting. Besides, the Arab descendants’ community also influences local population, in physical culture (language, dress, and art), and religious practices (path for mystics, celebration of Prophet’s birthday, and commemoration of every year’s death).

The Beati Ritual for Moslem Teenage Girls within the Culture of Gorontalo Society

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title : The Beati Ritual for Moslem Teenage Girls within the Culture of Gorontalo Society
Author : Yowan Tamu (CRCS, 2009)
Keywords : Beati, moslem teenage girls, Gorontalo society
Abstract :
The research is themed on “The ritual of Beati for Moslem Teenage Girls within the Society of Gorontalo”. Beati is a ritual to change status from a little girl to teenager. This research aims to provide Islamic spiritual understanding for teenage girls who are growing up and whose understanding on Islam is not yet considered perfect before conducting Beati.The research is an ethnographic one where all data is based on perspectives, arrangement, and understanding of certain society including rules, norms, and categories lived trough by the society. This study is completed through data analysis, observation, and information from informants. The observation and data analysis are similar, which is information on essential aspects of Beati that embrace all agents of the ritual, teenage girls as well as those girls who are not yet underwent the process.
The research is conducted in the regency of Marisa, Pohuwato district. It takes six months to observe the ritual’s preparation process, realization, and after ritual process. This research is accomplished by conducting observation, interview, and documentation. It tries to answer three main questions. First, how does the ritual of Beati exist and what is its role in developing mental, spiritual, and characters of teenage girls in Marisa? Second, why does the ritual of Beati still exist amidst the strong cultural penetration everywhere? Third, how do the people of Marisa accept the ritual in their life?
The research concludes that Beati shapes mental and character of teenage girls to be well-mannered, morally good, and responsible to themselves as well as to others. Some of people also view the ritual as a way to preserve local culture. However, there are others who see it as no longer relevant to present condition.

Identity, Comodification, and Domination: the Manifestation of Hinduism in Bali

Thesis Review Monday, 20 June 2011

Title : Identity, Comodification, and Domination: the Manifestation of Hinduism in Bali
Author : Yulianingsih Riswan (CRCS, 2008)
Keywords : culture, identity politics, commoditization
Abstract :
This thesis reports on ethnographic fieldwork in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on July-October, 2007. Hinduism as religion of Bali has become the spirit of Balinese culture. And Bali’s culture has become a powerful political symbol and economic resource in the information age, where the development of the service economy (including tourism) provides new opportunities to marginal groups and new challenge to dominant ones.This report take the way in which culture is produced, possessed and often transformed into commodity for the market: the role of such reified culture in relation of inequality: the ownership of culture as a tool of identity and nation building.
This allows us to expand our understanding of cultural property: as a tool available to any group seeking confirmation of an identity perceived to be under threat vis a vis wider power structure. The thesis begins with description of contemporary Balinese, the transformation of its economy and a brief history of tourism. The relationship between ritual and economy is discussed both in general terms and ethnographic detail to provide insight into the context of cultural ideas in which tourist development has taken place. The spatial organization of ritual reveals patterns of cultural order and political influence as key factors in understanding the contemporary situation. Then, religion of Bali has contributed for the social life of thing such as culture identity, source of commodity, and also political power for domination.