Sinkretisme Islam dan Budaya Jawa Dalam Rebo Wekasan di Pesantren

Islam–Javanese Cultural Syncretism in Rebo Wekasan Practices at Islamic Boarding Schools

Abstract

Abstract

Local religious traditions often serve as an arena where normative Islamic teachings encounter Javanese culture, one of which is the Rebo Wekasan ritual that continues to be practiced by the community surrounding Pondok Pesantren Arba’i Qahhar in Jambangan Village, Paron Subdistrict, Ngawi Regency. This study is significant as it reveals how pesantren, as centers of Islamic education, interact with local traditions that are frequently perceived as bearing elements of syncretism. The main objective of this research is to analyze the forms of Islamic and Javanese cultural syncretism within the practice of Rebo Wekasan and to understand the socio-religious meanings ascribed to it by the students (santri), kyai, and local community. A qualitative approach was employed, using in-depth interviews with religious leaders, the pesantren caretakers, and residents directly involved in the ritual. The findings show that Rebo Wekasan is perceived both as a means of warding off misfortune (tolak bala) and as a medium to strengthen social solidarity, in which Javanese elements such as communal feasts (kenduri) and collective prayers are blended with Islamic supplications, forming a distinctive expression of religiosity. The pesantren plays a dual role as a guardian of Islamic orthodoxy and as a cultural mediator ensuring that local traditions remain aligned with Islamic values. Consequently, this research concludes that the Rebo Wekasan practice at Pondok Pesantren Arba’i Qahhar represents a form of productive syncretism, contributing to the sociology of religion discourse while providing practical insights for the preservation of religious cultural wisdom in Ngawi.

Keywords: Syncretism, Rebo Wekasan, Islamic Boarding School, Javanese Tradition, Ngawi