Komunikasi Ritual Dalam Tradisi Lokal Membaca Lontar (Memaos) Sebagai Media Untuk Melestarikan Budaya Masyarakat Adat Di NTB

Abstract

The tradition of memaos lontar (reading lontar) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is a cultural heritage preserved by indigenous communities for generations. This tradition aims to safeguard culture through chanted lontar manuscripts, which contain valuable information about various aspects of life. A significant challenge is the language complexity, which is difficult for those without direct lineage to the manuscript's authors. However, periodic memaos activities provide a solution to this issue while fostering interactions as a form of ritual communication. This perspective highlights that ritual communication plays a role in creating, transforming, and replacing shared culture. A qualitative descriptive study with FGD revealed two main findings: (1) ritual communication in the memaos tradition encompasses dimensions of process, meaning, and communication patterns; and (2) efforts to preserve the tradition include successor regeneration and group communication to enhance interaction among pepaos.