Cross-cultural Differences Experienced during Hajj: A Case Study of Acehnese Hajj

Kamaruzzaman Bustamam-Ahmad, Rahmi Zakaria

Abstract


The cross-cultural differences experienced by pilgrims during the world’s largest religious ritual, ḥajj, have yet to be explored. It is worthwhile to investigate this issue from an Indonesian perspective. This study uses a phenomenological approach to examine cross-cultural differences experienced by Acehnese pilgrims during ḥajj. The perceptions of Acehnese who have never been to Mecca (‘villagers’) and Acehnese who stayed in Saudi Arabia and its neighbouring countries (‘stayers’) were also probed. The findings show that the pilgrims experienced cross-cultural differences in verbal communication, body movement, physical appearance and dress, the use of space, time, touch, voice, and smell. Cross-culturally, the pilgrims have a different perspective to villagers and stayers. The pilgrims expressed culture shock, while the villagers’ perceptions were primarily shaped by imagined and unverified stories, and the stayers understood their pilgrimage through their long experiences of residing in Arab countries.

DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v25i1.5356


Keywords


Ḥajj; Aceh; Cross-Cultural Communication; Ritual; Experience

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References


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Interviews

Interview with Abdul Azis, the villager from Gampong Kaye Kunyet, on September 12, 2014.

Interview with Hindun, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Jambo, on September 15, 2014.

Interview with Mukhlis, the Stayer from Aceh Besar, on September 17, 2014.

Interview with Rahmah, the Pilgrims from Gampong Cot Nambak, on September 11, 2014.

Interview with Maisarah, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Rumpun, on September 16, 2014.

Interview with Yunus, the Stayer from Banda Aceh, on September, 19, 2014.

Interview with Maimun, the Stayer from Aceh Besar, on September, 22, 2014.

Interview with Samsuar, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Mancang, on September 13, 2014.

Interview with Abdullah, the Stayer from Banda Aceh, on September, 20, 2014.

Interview with Khadijah, the Pilgrims from Gampong Cot Nambak, on September 9, 2014.

Interview with Maimunah, the Pilgrims from Gampong Cot Hoho, on September 10, 2014.

Interview with Laila, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Mancang, on September 14, 2014.

Interview with Syamaun, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Hoho, on September 10, 2014.

Interview with Abdul Rauf, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Hoho, on September 10, 2014.

Interview with Abdul Azis, the villager from Gampong Kaye Kunyet, on September 12, 2014.

Interview with Syamaun, the Pilgrim from Gampong Cot Hoho, on September 10, 2014.

Interview with Daud, the Villager from Gampong Eumpe Bata, on September 9, 2014.

Interview with Munir, the Stayer from Aceh Besar, on September 19, 2014.

Interview with Muksalmina, the Pilgrims from Gampong Cot Rumpun, on September 17, 2014.

Interview with Muksalmina, the Pilgrims from Gampong Cot Rumpun, on September 17, 2014.

Interview with Salma, the pilgrim from Gampong Cot Nambak, on September 8, 2014.

Interview with Salwa, the Pilgrim from Gampong Kaye Kunyet, on September 12, 2014.

Websites

http://sultan-iskandarmuda.blogspot.com/, Retrieved on September 29, 2014.

https://au.totaltravel.yahoo.com/travel-ideas/news-opinions/news/a/-/25309801/manila-no-longer-home-to-world-s-worst-airport/, Retrieved on October 21, 2014.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.15408/sdi.v25i1.5356 Abstract - 0 PDF - 0

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