“Forbidden” Ritual as a Mechanism of Social Resilience in the Gorontalo Farming Community in Indonesia

Abstract

This research explores the local wisdom of Muslim farmers in Gorontalo through the practice of the mopoa huta ritual as a mechanism of social resilience passed down through generations. Three important aspects are highlighted: i. the disturbances caused by supernatural beings that threaten social resilience, ii. the role of the mopoa huta ritual as a mechanism of social resilience, and iii. the legitimacy of the ritual’s conduct. This study employs a qualitative approach, involving research participants consisting of elderly and young farmers representing both modernist and traditional Islamic circles. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and participatory observations, with thematic analysis used for data analysis. The research findings reveal that the mopoa huta ritual serves as an effort to ward off disturbances caused by supernatural beings that may affect plants, livestock, and humans. Farmers acknowledge that these disturbances have negative impacts on their social resilience. However, over time, modernist Islamic circles reject this ancestral heritage, while traditional Islamic circles argue that their actions are not a form of polytheism. They view this ritual as an expression of faith in unseen creatures created by God as disruptors of humans. This study provides a deeper understanding of the significance and role of the mopoa huta ritual in the context of Muslim farmers’ lives in Gorontalo. The research findings contribute to understanding the mechanisms of social resilience related to religious practices and local wisdom in an agrarian society.