The  SPEAKING of the Earth: Ethnography of Cultural Communication in the Sedekah Bumi Ritual in Jetak Hamlet, Bogorejo Subdistrict, Blora Regency

Illi Apriliyadi; Giyarto Giyarto

Authors

Illi Apriliyadi Alumni Master of Communication Science, Diponegoro University, Jalan Erlangga Barat VII, Semarang, Indonesia
Giyarto SMP Islam Matholi’ul Falah, Nglengkir, Bogorejo Subdistric, Blora Regency, Indonesia

Keywords:

Sedekah Bumi, Cultural Communication, Ethnography, Ritual, Nglarik Village

Abstract

The Sedekah Bumi ritual (Earth Almsgiving) is a traditional cultura practice deeply rooted in the agricultural communities of Nglarik Village, Bogorejo Subdistrict, Blora Regency, Indonesia. This study explores the cultural communication embedded within the ritual, focusing on how the community symbolically and verbally expresses its relationship with the earth and ancestral spirits. The objective of this paper is to provide an ethnographic analysis of how cultural meanings are constructed and conveyed during the Sedekah Bumi ritual. Using qualitative methods, particularly participant observation and in-depth interviews with local villagers, this study employs Dell Hymes’ SPEAKING model to uncover the layers of communication that reflect the community’s values, beliefs, and social cohesion. The findings indicate that the ritual functions not only as an act of thanksgiving for agricultural abundance but also as a means of reinforcing communal identity and transmitting cultural knowledge across generations. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of ritual communication as a mechanism for preserving cultural heritage in rural Indonesian communities.

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