Analisis Interaksi Simbolik pada Tradisi Belis di Kota Maumere

Abstract

The Belis tradition is one of the cultural heritages of the Sikka community in Maumere City and plays a significant role in the customary marriage system. However, social, economic, and modernization processes have brought various changes to its implementation, making it essential to understand the symbolic meanings that continue to be preserved by the community. This study aims to analyze the meaning of the Belis tradition from the perspective of George Herbert Mead’s Symbolic Interactionism Theory. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving eleven informants, including customary leaders, community members with extensive knowledge of the Belis tradition, and married couples who had practiced the customary marriage tradition. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and source and technique triangulation to ensure the credibility of the findings. The results reveal that Belis is not interpreted as a commercial transaction or a measure of a woman's value, but rather as a symbol of respect for women and their families, male responsibility, the union of two extended families, and the cultural identity of the Sikka community. These meanings are socially constructed through continuous interaction and are reflected in Mead's concepts of mind, self, and society. Although the form and amount of Belis have been adapted to the economic conditions of contemporary society, its philosophical values are maintained through deliberation, communication, and mutual agreement. These findings demonstrate that adaptation to social change does not diminish the symbolic meaning of Belis but instead represents a cultural strategy for sustaining the tradition as an integral part of the Sikka community's cultural identity.