The The Cultural Values Found in the Legend of Dit Sakmas

Abstract

The Dit Sakmas Legend, which serves as the foundation for the Larvul Ngabal customary law in the Kei community in the Southeast Maluku Islands, is the subject of this study's exploration of cultural values. The Kei people are renowned for their healthy interactions with nature and people, their rich traditions, and their observance of customary law. The vertical and horizontal values in the legend are interpreted in this study using a qualitative descriptive technique and a hermeneutic method, namely Hans-Georg Gadamer's viewpoint. The relationship between people and God is the subject of vertical values like patience, sincerity, and thankfulness. Reliability, obedience, social agreements, fraternity, cooperation, mutual aid, respect for traditional culture, conservation of plants and animals, and water preservation are examples of horizontal values that include human-nature ties as well as human-to-human relationships. The results show that the Dit Sakmas Legend reflects a high degree of religious and ecological consciousness, local wisdom, and the social structure of the Kei community. The significance of maintaining cultural values as a social and ethical legacy influencing how people behave in social situations is shown by this study.