Makna Komunikasi Ritual Selamatan Sedekah Bumi bagi Masyarakat Desa Kisik Kecamatan Bungah Kabupaten Gresik

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the meaning of symbols and ritual equipment in the Sedekah Bumi tradition in Kisik Village, Bungah District, Gresik Regency, and to explain the involvement of religious figures in the ritual process. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentation. Data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman model: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Source triangulation was used to maintain validity. The findings show that the Sedekah Bumi ritual is carried out through a series of activities, including Lailatul Diba’, Ghaib prayer and tahlil, khotmil Quran bin nadlor, tahlil muslimat, Istighosah al-hikmah, jamiyah tahfidul Quran, Istighosah Rotibul Haddad, Istighosah Walisongo, cow slaughter, tahlil and public recitation, and pencak silat. Religious figures are actively involved from planning to implementation, not only ceremonially but also educationally. The community interprets the ritual as gratitude for agricultural produce and as symbolic communication about harmony, Islamic principles, livelihoods, and resilience. In conclusion, the Sedekah Bumi tradition functions as a medium of ritual communication that strengthens social solidarity and preserves local cultural identity amid modernization.