Ngalaksa as a Narrative of Life in the Midst of Environmental Threats
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15575/djash.v3i3.54148Keywords:
ecological threats, ngalaksa resillience, spiritual sustainability, Sundanese ecotheology, wisdom narrativeAbstract
This study aims to analyze Ngalaksa as a living narrative within the ecotheological study of Sundanese society, focusing on how this ritual can serve as a spiritual response to environmental threats, including deforestation in Priangan and the climate crisis that disrupts traditional farming patterns. The benefits of the research include strengthening local wisdom as a model of ecological sustainability, contributing to the preservation of Sundanese cultural identity, and providing inspiration for religion-based environmental policies in Indonesia. The method used is a qualitative approach based on participant ethnography, including direct observation of the 2025 Ngalaksa ritual in Rancakalong Village, Sumedang. Narrative analysis of the elements of tritangtu (harmony of heaven, earth, and humans), and interviews with ritual participants. The results of the study conclude that Ngalaksa is not merely a ceremony of gratitude for the harvest, but a dynamic narrative that integrates the ethics of stewardship through offerings and mutual cooperation. Ngalaksa offers an adaptive ecotheological framework for mitigating environmental risks. Ngalaksa is a key element of the balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors that contribute significantly to building communal resilience. This is in line with QS. Al-A'raf (7:6), which emphasizes human spiritual responsibility towards preserving nature. "And do not cause damage to the earth after (Allah) has repaired it, and pray to Him with fear and hope.”
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