Maintaining the Tradition: Religion, Local Elites and the Transformation of Agricultural Tradition in Rural East Java (A Case of Kabumi Ceremony in Jatirogo, Tuban, East Java)

Abstract

Studies show that religion has a strong influence on the local tradition that is considered full of myth. In this case, Kabumi ceremony as a local tradition of East Java rural communities is considered to maintain the sustainability of production in the agricultural sector. But, Kabumi challenged by religious puritanism (Islam) and the presence of modernization in agriculture through intensification, diversification and extensification programs also changed the cropping pattern and indirectly influenced the transformation of kabumi procession. This article discusses the transformation of Kabumi rituals as part of adaptations after the infiltration of Islamic teachings on agricultural communities in rural East Java. This research using the qualitative method and interpretative approach. The infiltration of Islamic teachings directly influenced the transformation of Kabumi. Kabumi's procession adopted Islamic practices and slowly began to abandon the supposedly mystical. It`s supported by the important role of local elites in maintaining the traditions through local policies that provide specific allocations of village income and expenditure budget (APBDes) for kabumi ceremony and concession with religious elites. Although kabumi rituals are more Islamic but still include breeding to danyang as the community's ancestors and are believed to be able to provide a more