Ngikat Janji “Giving Dowry for Bride” as Marriage Readiness Perspective in Tamiang’s Wedding Ceremony Tradition

Abstract

This study aimed to find the cultural performances which can applied to keep physical and mental health for women in Tamiang’s wedding ceremony tradition. This research employed the ethnography method. As a ethnography research, the data were collected through depth open-ended interview, direct participatory observation, focus group discussion which is often abbreviated as FGD and written documents. In-depth and open-ended interviews were applied to obtain data from the informants who understand Tamiang’s wedding ceremony tradition especially on Ngikat Janji and also the terms. The focus of analysis is on performance, indexicality and participation as components of linguistic anthropology. The performance of Ngikat Janji as part of Tamiang’s wedding ceremony tradition means the way to honor women of their marriage readiness. Marriage readiness is important mental indicator for bride and through it also to keep physical of bride especially reproduction health because every bride who has Ngikat Janji no more relationships with other men like dating. It indicates that honor concept contained in the tradition. Honor concept represented physical and mental health of women bride in Tamiang’s etchic is important indicator to build up quality life.