Lolo Bangko: Child Marriage & Family Resilience in Island Communities in South Sulawesi

Abstract

The minimum age limit for marriage is regulated by the state to control the mental readiness of prospective bride and groom. In this context, child marriage based on local traditions is widespread in island communities. Therefore, this research aims to describe the practice of child marriage and the consequent impact on family resilience in the communities of Kodingareng and Badi in Spermonde Islands, South Sulawesi. A qualitative method is applied through critical ethnography, while data collection is carried out through interviews, observation, and document review. The results show that there is prevalence of child marriage as a common practice in island communities. In this context, the society understands the minimum age limit but maintains the tradition of child marriage due to cultural, customary, religious, and economic factors. The traditional view in the form of Lolo Bangko is the fear of not finding a suitable partner in the future. Consequently, children are forced to enter into early marriage which are often conducted illegally. This has an impact on harmony, independence, and household continuity, increasing the level of divorce in young families. Abstrak Negara mengatur batas usia minimal untuk melangsungkan perkawinan agar calon pengantin memiliki kesiapan mental untuk membangun keluarga. Namun, perkawinan anak-anak yang didasari oleh tradisi lokal masih marak di masyarakat kepulauan. Artikel ini mendeskripsikan praktik perkawinan anak dan dampak konsekuensinya terhadap ketahanan keluarga pada masyarakat kepulauan di Pulau Kodingareng dan Pulau Badi di Kepulauan Spermonde, Sulawesi Selatan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui metode etnografi kritis, dan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara, observasi, dan kajian dokumen. Hasil studi menunjukkan prevalensi perkawinan anak sebagai praktik umum di masyarakat kepulauan. Masyarakat telah mengetahui peraturan batas usia minimum untuk menikah, tetapi mereka mempertahankan tradisi perkawinan anak karena faktor budaya, tradisi, kepercayaan agama, dan ekonomi. Pandangan tradisional berupa Lolo Bangko, yaitu ketakutan tidak mendapatkan pasangan yang cocok di kemudian hari sehingga anak dipaksa untuk melakukan perkawinan dini yang tak jarang dilakukan secara illegal. Hal ini berdampak pada keharmonisan, kemandirian, dan bahkan keberlangsungan unit keluarga, yaitu maraknya perceraian keluarga muda.

Keywords

• Lolo Bangko
• Child Marriage
• Marital Culture
• Family Resilience
• Island Communities