Plural Legal Spaces and Ritual Innovation in the Midodareni Tradition of the Jaton Community
Keywords:
legal pluralism, customary law, cultural Islamization, social negotiation, collective identity, Midodareni, Jaton communityAbstract
This article discusses the dynamics of legal pluralism in the practice of Midodareni rituals in the Javanese community of Tondano (Jaton), North Sulawesi, Indonesia. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach involving legal, anthropological, and sociological perspectives, this study explores how Islamic law, customary law, and state law interact, meet, and often clash in implementing these traditions. Through the qualitative method of case studies, data is collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and analysis of local documents. The findings show that Midodareni is not just a cultural rite, but a complex arena of legal negotiations, in which local actors, including traditional leaders, religious leaders, and village government officials, play an active role in adapting traditional practices to religious norms and state regulations. This ritual transformation reflects the process of cultural Islamization, legal framing by the state, and the preservation of the collective identity of the Jaton community as a formidable minority. This article contributes a new understanding of how local traditions can survive and transform creatively in a pluralistic society fraught with tensions between customs, religion, and formal law.
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