ON THE STONE WORSHIPPING MEDIUM PEDEWAQ PERFORMED BY HINDU WORSHIPPERS AND WETU TELU MUSLIMS IN LINGSAR DISTRICT, WEST LOMBOK REGENCY, INDONESIA

Abstract

The Balinese (ethnic people origin from Bali Island), who are Hindus, and the Sasaknese (ethnic people origin from Lombok Island), who are WetuTelu Muslims, perform the religious ritual at the same time at Lingsar Temple complex. It is unique that the same ritual is performed by two different groups of people with different faiths at the complex of Lingsar Temple. They also use the same worshipping medium of stones, which is referred to as Pedewaq . Therefore, it is necessary to identify the Pedewaq worshipping ritual which is performed by the Hindus and WetuTelu Muslims at Lingsar District, West Lombok Regency. The qualitative research method with anthropological approach is used in the study. The problems of the study were analyzed using the theory of religion as a cultural system which is proposed by Cifford Geertz, the theory of structural functionalism, and the theory of symbolic interactionism. They were all eclectically employed. The data were obtained using the participatory observation, in-depth interview, and documentation study. The material of the stone medium was investigated scientifically under X-ray diffractometer and X-ray fluorescence for crystal and element identification. The result of the study indicate that the Pedewaq worshipping ritual performed by the Hindus and WetuTelu Muslims in Lingsar District, West Lombok Regency causes the Hindus to enhance their sradha and bhakti .In addition, such a ritual also strengthens the belief of the WetuTelu Muslims in the traditions which have been carried out through the worshipping ritual using Pedewaq stone as the medium. The padeweq stone is found reach with Silicon (Si), Iron (Fe), Calcium (Ca) and Aluminium (Al). The Padewaq stone samples also was found reach with crystal of andesine, jensenite and actinolite. In addition, the performance of such a worshipping ritual causes the people’s tolerance to increase, the creative economic opportunities to be more available, and the culture to be conserved. Apart from that, the performance of such a worshipping ritual also strengthens the religious tolerance in West Lombok, and maintains the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia