Author(s): La Ode Syukur

Abstract: The ritual practice of corn planting (defembula kahitela) is one of the agricultural traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation by Muna ethnic communities in Barangka District. The practice of the defembula kahitela ritual expresses Muna's ethical cultural conditions in the midst of the development of the modernity of agricultural patterns. The strong traditional values in the Muna ethnic community then make the ritual practice of the defembula kahitela still exist and maintained very well by Muna ethnic in Barangka District. This study aims to analyze the process in the ritual practice of the defembula kahitela on Muna ethnicity in Barangka District. The approach used in this study is a qualitative approach with a qualitative descriptive method. Data collection techniques used in this study is interviews, observation and document review. This study uses qualitative and interpretative descriptive analysis. Based on the results of the research that has been done, it was found that the ritual of defembula kahitela has 15 stages that must be passed by the farmers, namely: 1) detambori, 2) dewei, 3) tughori, 4) desula, 5) derangka, 6) dekatondo / deghala, 7) Kaago-ago, 8) detisa, 9) defenomi, 10) depasele, 11) defolimba, 12) detongka, 13) kasaraka, 14) detotowi, and 15) depanto. Each stage in the ritual practice of defembula kahitela is always followed by a ritual in its implementation which aims to ask for the safety of the farmer and the fertility of the corn planted awake, so as to obtain better results.

Keywords: Power, Ritual, Defembula kahitela, Muna ethnic.

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.4.2.49