Unveiling the Symbolic Meaning and Function of Tu Dhe'u Ritual: A Semiotic Analysis of Rodent Control Practice in Maluriwu Village
Keywords:
Tu Dhe'u, Symbolic Meaning, FunctionAbstract
This research explores the symbolic meanings and functions of the Tu Dhe’u ritual, an agricultural ceremony performed by the Maluriwu community in response to rat infestations. This research aimed to unveil the symbolic meanings and function of the Tu Dhe’u ritual using Roland Barthes's semiotic approach. To collect the data, the researchers conducted an unstructured interview to explore the informants’ perspectives on the Tu Dhe’u ritual’s symbolic meaning and function. The data were subjected to qualitative analysis using a descriptive approach. The findings indicated several symbolic elements embedded within each stage of the Tu Dhe’u ritual such as Dhe’u (rats), Sope (rat boat), Pa’e (prayers), Purification using coconut water, Traditional Sites, Sea, Tua Ka, Tu Laja, and Phije.
References
Anoegrajekti, N., Jakarta, U. N., Macaryus, S., Tamansiswa, U. S., Asrumi, A., Jember, U., Izzah, L., & Jember, U. (2024). Etnografi Ritual Sebagai Ekosistem Budaya: Inovasi Pertunjukan Berbasis Ekonomi Kreatif. Jurnal Berkala Ilmiah Seni Budaya, January, 21.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377813289_Ritual_Sebagai_Ekosistem_Budaya
Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Sikka. (2019). Kabupaten Sikka dalam Angka.
Durkheim, E. (1995). Emile Durkheim The Elementary Forms of Religious Life 1995.pdf (p. 535). Free Press.
Eni, G. D. (2018). an Analysis of Meanings of Euphemism Used By Sikka Krowe Ethnic in Habi Village Sikka Regency. J. Edu. Sci Eni/AJES, 2018(1), 18–22.
Eni, G. D., & Mansur, S. (2024). Scrutinizing The Local Culture Of Tada Hera Customary Fine In Solving Problems To Avoid Social Disparity In Sikka Regency. 6(1), 622–632.
Gabriel, L. (2022). Warga Tiga Desa di Sikka Usir Tikus dengan Ritual Adat Selama Lima Hari. Media Indonesia. https://mediaindonesia.com/nusantara/471250/warga-tiga-desa-di-sikka-usir-tikus-dengan-ritual-adat-selama-lima-hari
Gual, Y. A., & Kaesnube, M. D. O. (2023). Nahake sebagai Sebuah Komunikasi dalam Tradisi Pertanian Masyarakat Kaubele. Jurnal Communio?: Jurnal Jurusan Ilmu Komunikasi, 12(2), 282–296. https://doi.org/10.35508/jikom.v12i2.9155
Harun. (2024). Teologi Bambu?: Menemukan Makna Bambu Dengan Pendekatan Mimetik Terhadap Sastra Untuk Merumuskan Konsep Berteologi Ramah Lingkungan di Toraja. SOPHIA: Jurnal Teologi Dan Pendidikan Kristen, 5(1), 14–25. https://doi.org/10.34307/sophia.v5i1.205
Husaini, S. A. (2023). Memori Kolektif Masyarakat Terhadap Bencana Situ Gintung Tahun 2009 [UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta]. https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/78758/1/SS23081.pdf
Ida Ayu Putu Aridawati. (2020). Makna Ritual Budaya Pertanian Yang Berkaitan Dengan Leksikon Bidang Persawahan Pada Masyarakat Bali. Kamaya: Jurnal Ilmu Agama, 3(3), 384–402. https://jayapanguspress.penerbit.org/index.php/kamaya/article/view/520
Imanda, R., Zuheldi, Fithri, W., & Saputra, E. (2021). Tradisi Tolak Bala Sebelum Tanam Padi pada Masyarakat Desa Simaroken Kabupaten Pasaman (kajian Living Al-Qur’an). Hikmah, 18, 40–52.
Ivon, N., & Nasa, R. (2024). Analysis of Heti Lapang Tradition in Nangatobong Village , Sikka Regency. Jurnal Genesis Indonesia (JGI), 3(03), 143–152. https://doi.org/10.56741/jgi.v3i03.697
Natsir, R. A., Emilia, E., & Kpalet, P. (2023). Upacara Huler Wair Sebagai Nilai Kebajikan Lokal Pada Masyarakat Kabupaten Sikka. Antropocene?: Jurnal Penelitian Ilmu Humaniora, 3(3), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.56393/antropocene.v2i8.927
Nona Supartin, E., Antonius M. K. Naro, & Yanto Yanto. (2024). An Analysis Of Function And Meaning Of “Lega Mitan” Traditional Ceremony In Habi Village. Morfologi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, Bahasa, Sastra Dan Budaya, 2(2), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.61132/morfologi.v2i2.469
Rondo, A., & Hudayana, B. (2023). Fungsi Spiritual dari Ritual Hole dalam Pertanian di Masyarakat Adat Liae Suku Jingtiu. Ideas: Jurnal Pendidikan, Sosial, Dan Budaya, 9(2), 589. https://doi.org/10.32884/ideas.v9i2.1343
Sibarani, R. (2018). The role of local wisdom in developing friendly city. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/
Sugianto, H. O., Roe, Y. T., & Wati, F. (2022). Ritual “Kelas” Desa Wejang Nendong Kecamatan Pocoranakan Timur Kabupaten Manggarai Timur (Kajian Budaya Kenduri Kematian Dalam Adat Manggarai). Jurnal Sejarah dan Pembelajaran Sejarah, 7(2), 1–17.
Suharji. (2014). Tari Tayub Sebagai Sarana Upacara Ritual Di Desa Wonosoco Kecamatan Undaan Kudus. Acintya Jurnal Penelitian Seni Budaya, 6(1), 58–63.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kartini Maria, Yoanita Dewi Roswita Kolo

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish their manuscripts in this journal agree to the following conditions:
- The copyright on each article belongs to the author(s).
- The author acknowledges that the Dinasti International Journal of Education Management and Social Science (DIJEMSS) has the right to be the first to publish with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
- Authors can submit articles separately, arrange for the non-exclusive distribution of manuscripts that have been published in this journal into other versions (e.g., sent to the author's institutional repository, publication into books, etc.), by acknowledging that the manuscript has been published for the first time in the Dinasti International Journal of Education Management and Social Science (DIJEMSS).