The Stages of Implementing Marriage Customs in the Sasak Tribe Community in Pasangkayu Regency, West Sulawesi

This study aims to describe the stages of implementing marriage customs in the Sasak Tribe community in Pasangkayu Regency, West Sulawesi. The research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with ethnographic design to understand the practice of Sasak marriage culture in the context of overseas communities. The research locations were conducted in Kasano Village and Lelejae Village, Pasangkayu Regency. The research informants were selected purposively, including traditional leaders, religious leaders, bride and groom, bride and groom's family, and the community involved in the implementation of wedding customs. Data collection techniques were carried out through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data was analyzed using data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing techniques, and tested through triangulation of sources and techniques. The results of the study show that the Sasak Tribe in Pasangkayu Regency still maintains the main stages of marriage customs, namely midang, merarik, sejati/mesejati, selabar, bait wali, sorong serah aji krama, nikah, nyongkolan, and begawe. Each stage has social, cultural, and religious functions, starting from the process of introducing prospective spouses, social legitimacy of the family, respect for women's families, to strengthening social solidarity of the community. In practice, the community adapts to several stages to suit the social conditions of the multicultural society and the development of the times, without losing the core values of tradition. This study concludes that the wedding customs of the Sasak Tribe in Pasangkayu Regency not only function as a marriage ritual, but also as a medium for preserving cultural identity and strengthening the social relations of the overseas Sasak community.