Language As A Cultural Practice in The Peutrön Aneuk Tradition:An Anthropolinguistic Perspective on the Reproduction Of Cultural Identity of Acehen Society

Abstract

The Peutrön Aneuk tradition is a life cycle ritual of the Acehnese people that is still maintained today as a form of gratitude for the birth of a child and a medium for passing on cultural values. Previous studies on Peutrön Aneuk generally focus on historical aspects, stages of implementation, social functions, and the religious values ​​contained within it. However, studies that view this ritual as a linguistic practice from an anthropolinguistic perspective are still relatively limited. In fact, each stage of the ritual is constructed through the use of language, traditional speech, prayers, advice, and cultural lexicons that represent the knowledge system of the Acehnese people. This study aims to analyze how language functions as a cultural practice in the Peutrön Aneuk tradition and explain the role of this linguistic practice in reproducing the cultural identity of the Acehnese people. The study uses a qualitative approach with an anthropolinguistic perspective. The analytical framework combines Alessandro Duranti's theory of language practice, Clifford Geertz's interpretive anthropology, and Stuart Hall's concept of cultural identity. The results of this study indicate that language in the Peutrön Aneuk ritual functions not only as a means of communication, but also as a medium for transmitting values, legitimizing customs, forming social relations, and reproducing cultural identity. Ritual utterances, prayers, advice, and the lexicon of Acehnese culture form a system of meaning that connects individuals to the community, customs, and Islamic teachings. Thus, Peutrön Aneuk can be understood as an anthropolinguistic arena where language, symbols, and cultural practices interact to maintain the continuity of the cultural identity of the Acehnese people amidst the dynamics of social change.