Ritus Naketi: Kajian Antropologis Budaya tentang Ritual Ritus Naketi di Masyarakat Oemofa

Abstract

The Naketi Rite constitutes a traditional confession practice that has been preserved and transmitted across generations within the Oemofa community and functions to sustain social harmony. Social transformation and shifting patterns of communal interaction have posed challenges to the continuity and interpretation of this ritual, thereby necessitating scholarly inquiry capable of comprehensively elucidating its significance. This study addresses the question of how the symbolic meanings, social functions, and moral values embedded in the Naketi Rite shape mechanisms of reconciliation and social integration in Oemofa society. A cultural anthropology approach was employed to interpret the ritual practice through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and a review of relevant literature. The findings indicate that Naketi serves as an institutionalized medium for acknowledging wrongdoing, restoring fractured relationships, and reinforcing collective solidarity through mutually recognized symbolic mechanisms. The ritual cultivates values of honesty, responsibility, self-awareness, and commitment to social cohesion, which contribute to the prevention of prolonged conflict. The study concludes that Naketi is not merely a ceremonial expression but an effective cultural institution that mediates social tensions and reproduces the community’s moral order. The novelty of this research lies in its integrative analysis of the symbolic dimension and social function of the Naketi Rite as a locally grounded reconciliation model, offering relevance for contemporary cultural anthropology and discourse on tradition-based conflict resolution.