Adat Perkawinan Masyarakat Buton di Desa Salati Kabupaten Pulau Taliabu

Abstract

This study aims to describe the customary marriage system of the Buton people in Salati Village, Taliabu, and to explain the symbolic meanings embedded in the stages of its execution. The research employs a qualitative approach grounded in the perspective of symbolic interactionism. Fieldwork was conducted in Salati Village during March and April 2025. Informants were selected purposively, comprising married couples, traditional leaders, religious figures, community leaders, and the village head. Data were collected through observation, interviews, documentation, and triangulation, and subsequently analyzed through data collection, reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings indicate that the Buton community in Salati Village continues to uphold a series of marriage customs passed down through generations. These stages include *Sori-sori*, *Sampee*, *Mowawa Katangka*, *Joa*, *pingitan* (seclusion), *Mo’ato*, *Membaso*, and *Totoro Kumawi*. The conduct of the marriage is also influenced by social stratification, particularly the status distinctions of *Kaomu*, *Walaka*, and *Papara*. Objects and actions within the ceremonies hold symbolic meanings related to betrothal, responsibility, purity, safety, patience, faith, and readiness to establish a household. The study also identifies cultural changes, notably the cessation of polygamy among the nobility in Salati since the 1980s and the incorporation of local entertainment elements into wedding celebrations.