THE ROLE AND POSITION OF RELIGIOUS MYTHS OF BANTENESE SOCIETY AMONG THE RISING GENRES OF POPULER CULTURE

This item is published by Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya

Humaeni, Ayatullah (2012) THE ROLE AND POSITION OF RELIGIOUS MYTHS OF BANTENESE SOCIETY AMONG THE RISING GENRES OF POPULER CULTURE. In: Conference Proceedings: Annual International Conference on Islamic Studies (AICIS) XII, 5 – 8 November 2012, Surabaya – Indonesia.

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Abstract

This article discusses various religious myths spread on several areas of Banten. How Bantenese society undertands and believes in religious myths that spread out and are still maintained from generations to generations becomes one of the main focuses of this article; besides, it also tries to analyze roles and functions of religious myths for Bantenese society and how is the position of these religious myths among the rising of populer culture in the society. This article is a field research using ethnographical method based on anthropological perspective. To analyze the data, the researcher uses structural-functional approach. Library research, participant-observation, and depth-interview are methodes used to collect the data. Myth is one of treasures of oral traditions that almost appears in every culture and every place of the societies all over the world, Banten is not exception. This oral tradition is frequenty connected to the sacred and holy thing, and is frequently related to supernatural being that is logically difficult to observe and to understand, and it is also difficult to be proven scientifically. Moreover, its writer is often anonymous. Myth is considered having moral message and moral values. Hence, taking care of moral and attitudes become one of the functions of myth. Moreover, the belief and the conviction on it shows that modernity and the development of knowledge and information technology which is rapidly developed can not at moment’s notice remove magical and mystical dimensions of the thoughts and behaviours of modern society. It is indicated by the facts that the belief and the conviction on myths are not only believed and practiced by laymen (ordinary people), but also by educated people. Religious myths are one of Islamic literatures that still survive in Banten up to now. A few of these religious myths have ever been written and published both in fiction and non-fiction books. However, Many religious myths are still stored in the collective memory of Bantenese society, especially the older people. Even though popular cultures with various interesting accessories develop rapidly in Bantenese society, the existence of these religious myths, more or less, has influenced on the socio-religious life of the Bantenese. Religious myths, in some cases, also play significant roles and function for Bantenese society because they frequently contain moral values. Strengthening something, changing something, maintaing solidarity and unity among muslim societies, keeping prestiges and social status, guiding human behaviours are several roles and functions of religious myths for the Bantenese society. Various religious myths are spread out and still believed and maintained from generations to generations in most of Bantenese society. Many of daily events and daily activities of Bantenese society are frequently covered by religious myths. The myths of the holy people or saints, sacred places, sacred objects (sacred cows), the parentage of villages, supernatural animals, supernatural beings, genie, and evil spirit are several kinds of religious myths that are often available in Bantenese society.