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Stories, Myths and Rituals: Life in the Mentawai Archipelago in a Globalism Analysis

ETNOSIA : Jurnal Etnografi Indonesia · Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025) · pp. 56–73

DOI
10.31947/etnosia.v10i1.32370
ISSN
2548-9747, 2527-9319
Published
2025-06-27
Publisher
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Hasanuddin University.
Language
en
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0

Abstract

Myths, rituals and life stories are interconnected and conveyed through long-standing oral traditions, making them important cultural assets of indigenous peoples around the world. In the Mentawai Islands, myths and rituals are inseparable from the daily lives of the people. The myths are not only communicated within the community but also revealed to outsiders. This research deviates from earlier literature as it aims to explore the relationship between traditional rituals, life stories, myths and modern dynamics in the different valleys to trace the ancestral claims of land ownership. The study employed a qualitative approach. Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with Sikerei (shaman), clan elders and notable clan individuals in the thinly populated watersheds in south Siberut Island, complemented by a literature review. The findings show that various rituals and myths about the life journey of the Mentawai people are important to current values. Extended with a unique culture of body tattoos, botanical knowledge, sago staple food consumption combined with animal protein feasts. It can be concluded that myths have a relationship with their living practices they lived, the formation and strengthening of their cultural identities, belief systems and clan land claims in Mentawai. It suggests their indigenous knowledge can opens up a power to see what is not evident to the average mind and contributes to different shades of feeling and experiences.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

13 authors · 29 co-authorship links · 10 across different organisations

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Andalas University
  • James Cook University
  • Institut Seni Indonesia Padangpanjang
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Yevita NurtiAndalas University4
Ermayanti ErmayantiAndalas University2
Erwin ErwinAndalas University1
Robi MitraAndalas University1
Erwin ErwinAndalas University1
Fajri RahmanAndalas University1
Edi IndrizalAndalas University1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/etnosia/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Stories, Myths and Rituals: Life in the Mentawai Archipelago in a Globalism Analysis</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Delfi, Maskota</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Weintré, Johan</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Arifin, Zainal</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Pujiraharjo, Sidarta</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Oktayanti, Yetty</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Irwandi, Ade</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Mentawai</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">myth</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">ritual</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">stories</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Myths, rituals and life stories are interconnected and conveyed through long-standing oral traditions, making them important cultural assets of indigenous peoples around the world. In the Mentawai Islands, myths and rituals are inseparable from the daily lives of the people. The myths are not only communicated within the community but also revealed to outsiders. This research deviates from earlier literature as it aims to explore the relationship between traditional rituals, life stories, myths and modern dynamics in the different valleys to trace the ancestral claims of land ownership. The study employed a qualitative approach. Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with Sikerei (shaman), clan elders and notable clan individuals in the thinly populated watersheds in south Siberut Island, complemented by a literature review. The findings show that various rituals and myths about the life journey of the Mentawai people are important to current values. Extended with a unique culture of body tattoos, botanical knowledge, sago staple food consumption combined with animal protein feasts. It can be concluded that myths have a relationship with their living practices they lived, the formation and strengthening of their cultural identities, belief systems and clan land claims in Mentawai. It suggests their indigenous knowledge can opens up a power to see what is not evident to the average mind and contributes to different shades of feeling and experiences.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Hasanuddin University.</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-06-27</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
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	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/etnosia/article/view/32370</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.31947/etnosia.v10i1.32370</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">ETNOSIA : Jurnal Etnografi Indonesia; Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025); 56-73</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2548-9747</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2527-9319</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.31947/etnosia.v10i1</dc:source>
	<dc:language>en</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/etnosia/article/view/32370/13016</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 ETNOSIA : Jurnal Etnografi Indonesia</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
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