PERBEDAAN DAN PERSAMAAN BUDAYA ANTARA ETNIS LAMAHOLOT DAN ETNIS SIKKA KROWE

Abstrak

Tulisan ini mengkaji sejarah, budaya, serta perbedaan dan persamaan antara etnis Lamaholot dan etnis Sikka Krowe, khususnya suku Kangae, di wilayah Flores. Etnis Lamaholot dikenal sebagai masyarakat yang mendiami wilayah Flores Timur, Solor, Adonara, Lembata, hingga sebagian Alor dengan karakter budaya maritim, bahasa Lamaholot, serta kehidupan komunal yang kuat. Sementara itu, etnis Sikka Krowe, termasuk suku Kangae, merupakan masyarakat agraris yang mendiami wilayah Kabupaten Sikka dan memiliki sistem adat, bahasa, serta tradisi budaya yang khas. Suku Kangae dikenal sebagai bagian penting dari masyarakat Sikka Krowe yang masih mempertahankan nilai-nilai adat, penghormatan terhadap leluhur, serta tradisi sosial budaya dalam kehidupan masyarakat sehari-hari. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi pustaka dan wawancara lapangan. Data diperoleh melalui buku, jurnal ilmiah, dokumen budaya, serta wawancara dengan beberapa tokoh adat dari etnis Lamaholot dan Sikka Krowe. Data tersebut kemudian dianalisis secara deskriptif-analitis guna memahami identitas budaya, sejarah, sistem kepercayaan, bahasa, serta dinamika sosial masyarakat kedua etnis tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa meskipun etnis Lamaholot dan etnis Sikka Krowe memiliki perbedaan dalam bahasa, sistem kepercayaan, mata pencaharian, dan pola kehidupan sosial, keduanya tetap memiliki persamaan dalam nilai solidaritas, gotong royong, penghormatan terhadap leluhur, dan pelestarian adat istiadat. Perbedaan budaya tersebut menjadi kekayaan budaya lokal yang memiliki nilai historis, sosial, dan filosofis bagi masyarakat Flores. Oleh karena itu, pelestarian budaya Lamaholot dan Sikka Krowe, termasuk tradisi suku Kangae, menjadi penting sebagai upaya menjaga identitas budaya lokal di tengah arus globalisasi dan modernisasi.

This study examines the history, culture, as well as the differences and similarities between the Lamaholot ethnic group and the Sikka Krowe ethnic group, particularly the Kangae tribe, in Flores. The Lamaholot ethnic group is known as a community inhabiting the regions of East Flores, Solor, Adonara, Lembata, and parts of Alor, characterized by a maritime culture, the Lamaholot language, and a strong communal life. Meanwhile, the Sikka Krowe ethnic group, including the Kangae tribe, is an agrarian society living in Kabupaten Sikka with distinctive customary systems, language, and cultural traditions. The Kangae tribe is recognized as an important part of the Sikka Krowe community that continues to preserve customary values, respect for ancestors, and socio-cultural traditions in everyday life. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method with a library research and field interview approach. Data were collected through books, scientific journals, cultural documents, and interviews with several traditional leaders from the Lamaholot and Sikka Krowe ethnic groups. The collected data were then analyzed descriptively and analytically to understand the cultural identity, history, belief systems, language, and social dynamics of both ethnic communities. The results of the study indicate that although the Lamaholot and Sikka Krowe ethnic groups differ in language, belief systems, livelihoods, and social life patterns, they share similarities in the values of solidarity, mutual cooperation, respect for ancestors, and the preservation of customary traditions. These cultural differences constitute a form of local cultural wealth that holds historical, social, and philosophical significance for the people of Flores. Therefore, the preservation of Lamaholot and Sikka Krowe cultures, including the traditions of the Kangae tribe, is essential as an effort to maintain local cultural identity amid the currents of globalization and modernization.