Identity, Nasab, and Kafaah in Marital Life: A Look into Indonesian Arab Women in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

This research aims to reveal the identity of Indonesian Arab women in terms of nasab and kafa’ah marriage. To analyze the research finding the researchers use Social Practice theory from Bourdieu – Habitus and Doxa concept and the Communication Identity theory of Hecht. The lineage of the Arabs is patrilineal; therefore, the Arab men are more flexible in terms of choosing a mate. However, Arab women have to struggle hard if they are going to marry men from different groups. This research uses critical ethnographic methods, and the data is obtained through observations and interviews. The results show that the identity of Arab women is historically formed by Arab ethnic patriarchal culture from its home region of Yemen. The position of Solo Arab women as a subordinate group that is socially marginalized is due to the narrowness of women's space. Women are considered as a group with no extensive knowledge of the tradition of nasab and kafaah marriage.