Ritual Antar Ajong pada Masyarakat Pesisir Sambas

Makna Simbolik dan Transformasi Nilai Budaya dalam Era Modern

Abstract

This research aims to dissect the symbolic meaning underlying the Antar Ajong procession and analyze the transformation of its cultural values amidst the whirlwind of modernization. Through a qualitative approach using ethnographic methods and literature studies, data collection focused on participant observation and in-depth interviews in the coastal area of Paloh District. The research results prove that ritual elements such as the miniature boat (ajong), the structural arrangement of flora and fauna offerings, the chanting of mantras (besiak), and the Raddad Dance contain cosmological representations reflecting efforts to restore ecological harmony between humans, nature, and transcendent entities. In the modern era, this tradition manifests extraordinary cultural resilience. Antar Ajong has undergone a process of theological syncretism with Islamic values through the reinterpretation of living hadiths, transforming its function from a mystical ward against misfortune into an instrument for warding off "social misfortune" that strengthens the community's mutual cooperation (gotong royong). Furthermore, the intervention of bureaucratic rationality and the community has transformed this closed sacred rite into an ecotourism stage (such as the Paloh Coastal Festival), which tangibly campaigns for marine conservation and local economic welfare. In conclusion, the Sambas community has brilliantly succeeded in negotiating their ancestral heritage with the demands of the modern era without losing the slightest bit of their coastal cultural identity roots.