From Ritual to Living Heritage: Aligning Cultural Continuity and Environmental Change through Sedekah Laut

Abstract

Sedekah Laut is a cultural practice of the coastal communities of Cilacap that continues to be passed down, while at the same time undergoing adjustments in response to social and environmental changes. This study aims to analyze how Sedekah Laut is negotiated and maintained as living heritage in the face of these changes. The study employed a qualitative approach with a field research design. Data were collected through participant observation, interviews, field notes and reflections, and visual documentation, and were then analyzed thematically. The findings show that the continuity of Sedekah Laut is reflected in the continuation of ritual practices, such as communal prayers, tirakatan, Kirab Jolen, and the ritual casting of offerings into the sea, as well as community involvement throughout the entire series of traditional practices. At the same time, the meaning and function of the tradition have evolved from a religious ritual orientation toward social practices that strengthen community identity, intergenerational relationships, and concern for the coastal environment. Attention to sea cleanliness, mangrove protection, coastal conservation, and environmental sustainability shows that change does not eliminate the identity of the tradition but instead becomes part of the process of negotiating meaning. This study concludes that Sedekah Laut can be understood as living heritage through the processes of ritual continuity, cultural negotiation, adaptive meaning, and the sustainability of community practices. These findings affirm that the sustainability of cultural heritage does not depend on its remaining unchanged, but on the community's ability to maintain its core values while adapting its meaning to contemporary social and environmental contexts