Communal Rituals Research Articles

Enhancing Islamic Moderation in Pesantren: The Role of Kiai Exemplary, Curriculum, and Santri Activities

This research aims to examine the strengthening of Islamic moderation through the exemplary role of Kiai, the educational curriculum, and the daily activities of Santri. Through a qualitative approach, the research was conducted on three Pesantren in Bandar Lampung. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation. The analysis follows the procedure of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that Kiai as a role model in strengthening Islamic moderation through various approaches, namely emphasizing Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamâ'ah and participatory leadership; integrating spiritual practices with social engagement; and focusing on a balanced interpretation of the Qur'an by emphasizing justice, knowledge, and discipline. Assalafi al-'Aafiyah's curriculum prioritizes traditional methodology and respects multiple interpretations; Al-Hikmah combines traditional with modern teachings; and Darul Hidayah emphasizes character development and ethics in addition to memorizing the Qur'an. Santri's daily routines reflect different approaches, with Assalafi al-'Aafiyah focusing on a structured schedule of activities and community service, Al-Hikmah integrating formal education with community rituals, and Darul Hidayah prioritizing ethical development. This research calls on policy makers to increase support for strengthening Islamic moderation in pesantren.

Commodification of the Nyangku Traditional Ceremony in Panjalu of West Java

This research discusses the Nyangku traditional ceremony which has changed when viewed from a sociological perspective, namely the change in use value in the Nyangku traditional ceremony to exchange value which is called religious commodification, and this research will also explore the causes of this change using a sociology of religion approach. Types of research in this research is field research by collecting data based on the results of observations and interviews as well as documentation studies. This research concludes that the Nyangku traditional ceremony experienced religious commodification with the change from the use value of the Nyangku traditional ceremony to the exchange value as before Nyangku was the form of rituals of the Panjalu community, the cement of solidarity, social identity and efforts to care for the Panjalu ancestral heritage, become exchange values that have profit value in the form of promotions, sales of Nyangku symbols, as well as facilities that use tariffs provided for Nyangku. Then, the cause of the change from use value to exchange value at the Nyangku traditional ceremony occurred due to the existence of a charismatic figure who influenced the Panjalu community, the influence of religion, which provided a new perspective, and the Panjalu community's changing view of values.

Kesenian Gamat Di dalam Masyarakat Bengkulu

This research is motivated by the habit of Bengkulu people who use Gamat art on several important events such as marriage and other traditional ritual events. The purpose of this research is to describe Gamat art in Bengkulu society. The methods used in collecting data for this research are literature study and questionnaires. There are 3 important questions that become the instrument of this research, namely: What is Gamat art? How is Gamat art present and recognized in the lives of Bengkulu people? What is the function and meaning of Gamat art for the people in Bengkulu? The results of the study show that Gamat art is a performing art that combines a combination of vocal and instrumental music typical of Melayu, which is known, present and united in traditional ceremonies and annual rituals of the Bengkulu community. In addition, it was found that Gamat art has functions and meanings for the people of Bengkulu, including: means of entertainment, communication and integration or unification.

Rituals and Social Cohesion: Cultural Preservation Through Djawa Sunda Cosmology in Cigugur, Kuningan, Indonesia

This research aims to explore how the Djawa Sunda Religion (Agama Djawa Sunda-ADS) contributes to the preservation of cultural identity and religious practices in the Cigugur community, Kuningan, amidst modernisation and globalisation. Using a qualitative and ethnographic approach, the study focused on documenting the evolution and continued relevance of ADS cosmology through rituals and ceremonies such as Seren Taun. Data collection was conducted through interviews with religious leaders and community members, participant observation, and document analysis. The findings reveal that ADS plays a significant role in maintaining social cohesion and cultural continuity through its cosmological teachings and community rituals despite external pressures of cultural assimilation. The study also highlights the role of ADS in fostering religious pluralism and tolerance in a diverse religious community. The application of this research provides insights for scholars and policymakers interested in cultural preservation and religious pluralism in indigenous communities. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of ADS within the framework of Sundanese cosmology, contributing new perspectives on the intersection of religion, culture, and modernisation in Indonesia.

Pendidikan Tri Hita Karana Dalam Prosesi Nunas Babungah Petapakan Ida Bhatara Ratu Gede Dan Ida Bhatara Ratu Lingsir Desa Adat Tegal Suci Desa Sebatu Kabupaten Gianyar

Traditional villages regulate community belief patterns, one of which is the community belief system, especially community rituals. This is included in the visualization of the belief system, namely God himself through Barong and Rangda. Especially the Tegal Suci Traditional Village which has sungsungan Barong and In color complete with mask escort. This research aims to reveal more deeply the value of education Three hit karana contained in the process Nunas Pabungah. This research uses a qualitative descriptive research method with data collection techniques of observation, interviews and documentation. The results of this research show that the Tegal Suci Traditional Village has a very interesting procession which is called the process Nunas Pabungah once every 6 months. Procession Nunas Pabungah held at the subah pamuus temple. The connection between the temple and the Tegal Suci Traditional Village is due to springs and clothing ida bhatara, a pair of tumbak and a set of gambelan. The essence of the story in the play tells the story of the Garuda's ability to protect the holy Tegal community of nature. As for the value of education Three hit karana covers Pahrayangan belief in the power of God or special ida bhatara big queen who is believed to be able to protect his companions and ida bhatara the powerful queen of Pamuus Temple who is believed to control the prosperity of food, People the bonding of banjar manners which then gave birth to a process of mutual cooperation in the effort of ngayah together nyungsung and holding rituals Nunas Pabungah, Palemahan protecting the environment or natural resources, the presence of the Garuda's bisama as a warning to the people of Tegal Suci not to forget to protect water sources and always return the produce of the land in the form of upakara.

Homes and Selves in Times of War: Ukrainian Rituals and Analytic Practices with Children who are Surviving Russian Aggression; All You Have is this Small Backpack

This study introduces a method of group work with children called “serial drawing,” developed and tested by specialists from the Center for Mental Health at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. This method is designed for children who have experienced traumatic situations and is based on the Jungian concept of the psyche’s desire for wholeness, as well as the principle of psychological resilience. It leverages the psyche’s natural ability to integrate experiences and recover from trauma, creating an environment conducive to this healing process. The program we developed examines the psychological impact of losing one’s home due to military operations and highlights traditional, cultural coping methods, such as community rituals and symbols, within communities. A case study illustrating the recovery process from traumatic experiences is also presented.

Stadiums in the 1970s: Beyond the Myth of the Concrete Doughnut

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, fans assembled at stadiums and arenas across the country to witness a recurring spectacular event. They headed toward the local ballpark or arena, not to watch their favorite teams and entertainers perform inside, but rather to witness the implosion of the facilities themselves. As the United States was in the midst of its latest stadium construction boom, a new community ritual took shape: the ceremonial demolition of stadiums that were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Facilities that were once celebrated for their modern designs and conveniences were deemed ugly and obsolete seemingly overnight. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, among dozens of other professional stadiums, were demolished in this spectacular fashion (Figure 1). Explosives were strategically placed throughout the abandoned facilities, and fans gathered yards away to watch the buildings burst into gigantic clouds of dust and smoke, the environmental consequences of sending pollutants into the air notwithstanding. Television networks covered the detonations while fans donned team colors, cheered, and shed tears as their beloved community gathering places were blown into oblivion.

Integrating Qur'anic Recitation in Local Traditions: A Study of the Kenduri Opat Pekara in Bahgie Bertona Village, Gayo-Aceh

This study aims to explore the application of Surah Al-Mu'awwidzatain within the kenduri opat pekara tradition in Bahagie Bertona Village, Aceh, to understand its ceremonial practices and spiritual significance. The research investigates how the Surah is integrated into local customs, highlighting its role in providing protection and blessings during community rituals. The study employs a qualitative descriptive methodology with a phenomenological approach, focusing on field research. Data were collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews with religious leaders and community members, and document analysis. Triangulation was used to enhance the validity and reliability of the findings. Results indicate that the kenduri opat pekara tradition involves specific preparations believed to appease ancestral spirits, coupled with the recitation of Surah Al-Mu'awwidzatain to invoke divine protection and blessings. The community exhibits diverse interpretations of the Surah's significance, reflecting a complex interplay between Islamic teachings and local cultural practices. The conclusion suggests that the tradition goes beyond the normative use of the Qur'an, integrating it into local customs to strengthen social cohesion and cultural heritage within the Gayo community.

Urbanization and its Impact on the Cultural Values in the Life Cycle Rituals of the K’Ho Ethnic Group in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam

Urbanization significantly affects the cultural values embedded in the life cycle rituals of ethnic communities. This paper explores the transformation of cultural values within the life cycle rituals of the K’Ho ethnic group in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, focusing on weddings and funerals. Utilizing urbanization as a phenmenon, it examines how these rituals evolve in response to the pressures and opportunities of urban life, highlighting the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity in a rapidly urbanizing context. The research employs a sociological framework, combining primary data collection through detailed surveys and in-depth interviews with 26 individuals, and secondary document analysis. The survey included 477 household questionnaires, focusing on K’Ho households in Ta Nung commune and Lac Duong town. Document analysis involved examining books, scientific reports, statistical data, and other relevant sources to provide comprehensive insights into the effects of urbanization on K’Ho life cycle rituals. The study concludes that urbanization significantly impacts the cultural values and practices of the K’Ho ethnic group, leading to the professionalization and simplification of traditional rituals. Traditional practices are increasingly infused with modern elements, reflecting broader socio-economic transformations and the integration of new cultural norms. These findings underscore the importance of detailed, context-specific analyses to understand the unique cultural heritage and socio-economic conditions of ethnic communities in the face of urbanization.

The Archaeology of Awe: Monumental Architecture, Communal Ritual, and Community Formation at Poverty Point, USA

The Archaeology of Awe: Monumental Architecture, Communal Ritual, and Community Formation at Poverty Point, USA

Symbolic Meanings of Frogs and Toads in The Myths and Rituals in the Greater Mekong Subregion

The purpose of this research article is to explore the beliefs and symbolism surrounding frogs and toads in the myths and rituals of various communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). By utilizing the concept of symbolic meaning theory and analyzing the language use in rituals and myths, this study aims to establish a connection between the characters of frogs and toads and human beings, as well as to identify the symbolic meanings embedded in folklore data. The findings of this research indicate that although frogs and toads are common creatures in nature, cultural narratives, myths, and rituals surrounding them are not ordinary. They are associated with supernatural powers, which are deeply ingrained in people's beliefs. Additionally, frogs and toads are believed to represent gods or sacred entities. They symbolize folk beliefs, Buddhism, rain, and abundance. Furthermore, they also represent various ethnic minorities in the region. Therefore, the symbolic meanings attributed to frogs and toads in the myths and rituals of ethnic groups in the Greater Mekong Subregion reflect the cultural significance they hold. These symbolic representations greatly influence the thoughts, beliefs, and lifestyles of the people within these communities.

Understanding Place and People through Cultural Mapping Approach: Case study at Bachok, Kelantan

Cultural mapping is a vital approach for understanding place and community. This approach also involves systematically identifying the tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets. However, lack of awareness and engagement between local people and related parties causing this heritage to be increasingly forgotten. Younger generations are increasingly moving to urban areas in search of better opportunities, leading to a loss of traditional knowledge and skills in rural communities. Bachok district is rich in cultural heritage, historical landmarks, traditional crafts, local folklore and communal rituals. The preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage in Bachok requires concerted efforts involving the community, government, and NGOs. Initiatives to document, promote, and integrate these cultural elements into education and tourism can help sustain Kelantan’s unique cultural identity amidst modern challenges. Developing cultural mapping through qualitative approaches provides a comprehensive understanding of cultural heritage and community dynamics. This might involve ethnographic methods such as interviews and participant observation. These qualitative data provide a nuanced understanding of the intangible cultural heritage, such as beliefs, customs, and artistic expressions, enriching the cultural map with context and meaning. As the result, a cultural mapping map are produce as a guide to the public and tourist. through this cultural mapping can can improve the economy of the local community and preserve their cultural and heritage.

Fractionated Ablation With Trans-Epidermal Pigment Release: A Novel Tattoo Removal Method.

Tattoos continue to be an important way of emotional and/or identity expression for individuals and communities, whether obtained at a tattoo parlor or through communal rituals. Tattoos vary in their complexity, artistic skill, and overall satisfaction; however, in later years many regret the design, color choice, or the idea of a tattoo altogether. Given the uptick in patients wishing for tattoo removal, various techniques have been developed using energy-based devices such as lasers and destructive methods utilizing caustic chemicals or excision. These modalities come with limitations including incomplete tattoo removal, scarring, and dispersion of tattoo dyes into the lymphatics. Considering these limitations, other treatment modalities for tattoo removal must be explored. In this article, we discuss a new technique for tattoo removal using fractionated ablation of tattoo pigment with trans-epidermal pigment release.  J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(11):1103-1106     doi:10.36849/JDD.7250.

Settling down in Southwest Asia: the Epipalaeolithic-Neolithic transformation

Permanent settlement began in southwest Asia across the end of the Pleistocene (the Epipalaeolithic) and the beginning of the Holocene (the Neolithic). Aggregation represents a transformation of the cultural niche, involving major social and cultural innovations and profound developments of the strategies of subsistence. At first, the scalar stress of living in large, permanent communities was diffused through corporate effort in the construction and maintenance of monumental communal buildings, a complex material symbolism, and increasing intensity of communal rituals; participation demonstrated commitment and conformity to community norms. As cultivated crops and managed herds of sheep and goat gradually became the predominant source of subsistence, the old sharing ethos was overtaken by the household as the central socio-economic unit; the household became the focus for ritual and symbolism. As population aggregations grew larger, their supra-regional networks of socio-economic sharing and exchange also became more complex, extensive and intensive. The new cultural niche based on networked aggregations produced a marked acceleration in both the rate of cultural accumulation and the rate of demographic growth. At the end of the Neolithic, plow-agriculture began in place of horticulture; there are the first signs of mixed agro-pastoral economies, the marking of private property, new technologies (ceramics and copper metallurgy), and, in southern Iraq, irrigation agriculture. At this time, too, the accelerating expansion of the population of farmers is marked by the appearance of their new settlements in all directions.

Through the Lens of Grief: Re-reading performance through pregnancy loss

The grief of miscarriage is a disenfranchised form of sorrow (Watson, Jewell and Smith, 2018). Not only is it difficult to grieve an embryo or foetus whose status is culturally contested, the stigma surrounding miscarriage produces a ‘cultural silence' that works to isolate those suffering this form of loss (Layne, 2003; Peel and Cain, 2012). Unlike collective practices of mourning, miscarriage is understood in western culture as a ‘solitary moment of loss' (Watson, Jewell, Smith, 2018: 1). As an ‘untold sorrow', there is a lack of communal rituals and narrative practices, to serve as healing acts of grief work (Westlund, 2019). I draw on Butler to consider how miscarriage is rendered ungrievable by society , through the production of normative ‘exclusionary conceptions’ to argue for the invisibility of experiences of miscarriage as a form of oppression. (Butler, 2004 xiv-xv). The article explicates the grief of early miscarriage through a re-reading of my performance artwork Fluid Flesh (2020). Originally an exploration of the embodied experience of becoming a mother, the work has come to represent the grief of subsequent miscarriages. The fluid, pink, vital, pulsing flesh of the growing bodies of mother and child, now the dripping threads of pregnancy loss. I situate my lived experience in an Irish, postcolonial, post-Catholic context. I examine how pronatalism and concepts of femininity in an Irish context, work render experiences of miscarriage ungrievebale. Re-reading these performance works through the lens of grief, I aim to make visible an occluded lived experience, as well as to find ways to speak, in tangible and material terms, a grief that is silenced and rendered conceptually ambiguous. I aim to open out wider understandings of sadness by writing this specific, gendered and culturally specific experience into the lexicon of grief.

Virtuous Contempt and the Ritual Community in Confucius and Xúnzǐ

Both Confucius and Xúnzǐ take for granted that contempt, in certain situations, is an appropriate and justified response for a person of virtuous character. But Xúnzǐ departs from his predecessor in his insistence on drawing clear boundaries around contempt so as to diminish its destructive and destabilizing potential. This article argues that Xúnzǐ's efforts to circumscribe contempt reflect a shift in the vision of the ritual community from one based on affective ties to one based on an impersonal, universalist state. It also traces the implications of this connection for how we might confront the problem of toxic contempt that has pervaded our political landscape today.

Praktik Sosial: Kebudayaan Desa Kemiren Banyuwangi Sebagai Desa Wisata Adat

Society always experiences critical periods in social life. This critical situations raises people’s trust in everything that is metaphysical as an alternative to solving problems in their social life. Rural communities, especially the people of Banyuwangi, are very thick with cultural values and spritual beliefs that are influenced by osing customs as a history of Blambangan. This study aims to analyze the habitus, capital realm, and social practices of the Kemiren Village community related to culture. This study uses a qualitative method with an ethnographic approch to understand the social setting of Kemiren village. The theory used in this study is sosial practice theory from Pierre Bordieu. The locatin of this research was conducted in the Kemiren Traditional Tourism Village, Banyuwangi regency. The subjects of this research are the community and customary stakeholders who act as cultural agents in customary and cultural social practices. The results of this study indicate that the habitus of the Kemiren village community in carrying out varios traditional rituals. The habitus of community rituals is influenced by internalization and socila structure in the meaning of cultural values carried out by the Kemiren village community. The dominant village community capital and cultural agent is social capital. Cultural agents and the village community have good realtions that are able to create economic benefits and recognition from the Tourism Office and Banyuwangi Goverment.

Towards a circular theory of communication: The case of the Wayusa ritual of the traditional Kichwa people of Sarayaku

The Wayusa is a community ritual that is part of the exercise of political imagination among the Kichwa Indigenous people of Sarayaku, in Ecuador. In this article it will be discussed as a case study arguing towards a circular theory of communication, emerging from the works of Paulo Freire and calling for an approximation with Indigenous cosmology, looking for epistemological diversity and interdisciplinarity. Based in comprehensive fieldwork, this article suggests that the Wayusa illustrates the role of communication in the knowledge-chain in the community of Sarayaku, while also describing the kind of communication that it is made of. Different from a dominant linear theory of communication, it points to a conceptual framework whose horizon is not universalist but based on each space–time context. Beyond explaining a localized practice, it is argued that such circular model can dialogue and challenge the linear one as an operative general framework.

Care as Critique of Care: Public Services, Social Security and Ritual Responsiveness

AbstractSocialist governance and popular sovereignty require state administration of care. In the People's Republic of China (PRC) today, such state care is provided in the form of public services and in the guarantee of social security. Ideally, different levels of government should foster relations of care in local communities and remain responsive to “the people.” Local self-government, relations of mutual support and ritual communities, however, reveal the deficits of state care. Much like general philosophies of care, such local ethics of care propose universal benchmarks against which social practice can be measured. This article outlines the main contours of state care in the post-Mao Zedong PRC, and contrasts its findings with empirical research on public services, social security and ritual responsiveness. Mutual help, neighbourhood communities and ritual practice, in particular, provide alternative models of care. As such, they can be extended and universalized, and offer possibilities for a critique of care.

Teach Us to Pray: The Lord's Prayer, Catechesis, and Ritual Reform in the Sixteenth Century by Katharine Mahon

Reviewed by: Teach Us to Pray: The Lord's Prayer, Catechesis, and Ritual Reform in the Sixteenth Century by Katharine Mahon Anna Marie Johnson Teach Us to Pray: The Lord's Prayer, Catechesis, and Ritual Reform in the Sixteenth Century. By Katharine Mahon. London: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2019. 169 pp. Historical accounts often present the early church and the Reformation as high points of Christian formation, with the Middle Ages as a deep nadir. Katharine Mahon, in this revision of her Notre Dame dissertation, challenges that view by tracing the uses of the Lord's Prayer through the late Middle Ages and Reformation in catechesis, liturgy, and private prayer. Mahon identifies three effective touchpoints in the Reformation to gauge the changing uses of the prayer: Luther's catechetical works, the catechism in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, and the 1566 catechism by Jesuit Peter Canisius. A cornerstone of Mahon's argument—and the distinct strength of this book—is her contention that medieval formation in the faith, far from being less rigorous than in other eras, was quite extensive and holistic. Mahon emphasizes that medieval Christian [End Page 97] formation was embedded within ritual systems and aimed to form Christians as ritual participants. Knowing the Lord's Prayer was a signifier of one's membership in the church and a means of formation as part of the ritual life of the church, especially in the sacrament of penance. Mahon traces a decisive shift from a late medieval emphasis on ritual to a Reformation emphasis on knowledge and understanding. In the Reformation, Mahon argues, the late medieval "unified ritual pattern" (11) of the Lord's Prayer across catechesis, liturgy, and private prayer was dissolved and replaced by a narrower emphasis on understanding the prayer's meaning through memorization and explanation. The last three chapters outline late medieval and Reformation usage of the Lord's Prayer in catechisms, liturgies, and instruction on private prayer. Mahon emphasizes that later authors encouraged readers to comprehend the prayer and to repeat it with earnest faith. At least within the catechisms, the function of the Lord's Prayer, she argues, became "a text … rather than a performance" (74). Mahon identifies the Protestant concept of faith as the rationale for this change. While she often takes pains to present Reformation-era changes in an ecumenical tone and to note continuity between late medieval and Reformation practices, her view of Protestant understandings of faith draws sharp lines and pushes distinctions too far. For example, she presents a Protestant view of faith as an arid, purely intellectual, and individualistic concept that makes the Lord's Prayer into "a piece of knowledge to be tested for accuracy and comprehension, alongside other pieces of knowledge," (73) which she contrasts sharply with medieval usage as "ritual communion, identification, or participation" (78). Elsewhere, she nuances this view, recognizing that reforms by Luther and others emphasized liturgical participation for the purposes of identification, formation, and faith (96). She also grants that, while Luther thought the liturgy should be comprehensible, he retained a belief that liturgy addresses worshipers beyond reason and can only be apprehended by faith (100). Despite these caveats, Mahon maintains that the Reformation fundamentally changed the use of the Lord's Prayer from ritual formation to knowledge. [End Page 98] For this reviewer, the sharp lines she draws between late medieval and Reformation-era use of the Lord's Prayer occlude more than they outline. In both the late Middle Ages and the Reformation, the Lord's Prayer was used to understand the faith, to move the heart towards strengthened faith, and to participate in communal and ritual Christian life. It is true that Reformation-era reformers wanted worshipers to understand what was happening in the worship service, and that they emphasized comprehension and memorization of the Lord's Prayer more than medieval teachers. Yet they, too, encouraged participation in worship for formation in a ritual community. While much changed in the Reformation, the purposes of the Lord's Prayer in catechesis, liturgy, and private prayer had more continuities than discontinuities with the late Middle Ages. In both eras, churches taught the Lord's Prayer to build up faith in...