THE CONCEPT OF ETHICS:  RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANGGARAI PEOPLE IN THE OKE DARA TA'A RITUAL ACCORDING TO EMMANUEL LEVINAS' PERSPECTIVE

Mathias Jebaru Adon; Pius Pandor; Yohanes Endi; Charles Virgenius Setiawan

doi:10.31330/penamas.v38i2.964

Authors

Mathias Jebaru Adon Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Teologi Widya Sasana, Malang, Indonesia
Pius Pandor Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Teologi Widya Sasana, Malang, Indonesia
Yohanes Endi Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Teologi Widya Sasana, Malang, Indonesia
Charles Virgenius Setiawan Catholic University of America

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31330/penamas.v38i2.964

Keywords:

Ethics of Responsibility, Manggarai Culture, Oke Dara Ta'a Ritual, Emanuel Levinas, Safety of Life

Abstract

The Manggarai community is increasingly concerned about the erosion of their local wisdom, particularly the awareness of relationships with others, nature, and the Creator. This decline is reflected in the rise of gang fights, tribal conflicts, and natural disasters, leading to a loss of togetherness and responsibility. Despite this, the Manggarai possess valuable wisdom on living together peacefully and fairly, expressed through art, literature, social systems, rituals, and religious ceremonies. This study explores the ethics of responsibility within the Manggarai community, focusing on the Oke Dara Ta’a ritual, and draws on Emmanuel Levinas’s philosophical framework. The Oke Dara Ta’a ritual is performed when someone dies unnaturally—through violence, accidents, disasters, or fights—to remove bad luck and protect other family members. The Manggarai believe that Dara Ta’a results from disharmony with others, ancestors, and the Creator. Levinas’s philosophy asserts that ethics arise from encountering the “face” of the other, which inherently demands responsibility. His ideas provide a lens to understand the ethical responsibility embodied in the Oke Dara Ta’a ritual. This qualitative study uses interviews with traditional leaders and ritual practitioners, grounded in phenomenological philosophy. The research highlights the significance of Manggarai local wisdom in fostering social and ethical responsibility

References

Adon, M. J. (2021). Studi Pancasila sebagai Kristalisasi Peradaban Bangsa sebagai Tanggapan terhadap Fenomena Radikalisme Agama di Indonesia. JRP (Jurnal Review Politik), 11(2), 140–170. https://doi.org/10.15642/jrp.2021.11.2.140-170

Adon, M. J. (2022). Konsep Relasionalitas Orang Manggarai dalam Budaya Hae Reba Menurut Filsafat Gabriel Marcel. Toto Buang, 10(0), 1–23.

Adon, M. J. & Asman, A. (2022). Konsep Filosofis Budaya Peler Manggarai Dalam Terang Filsafat Dialogis Martin Buber. Jurnal Penelitian Sejarah Dan Budaya, 8(2), 197–223. https://doi.org/10.36424/jpsb.v8i2.329

Adon, M. J. & Rendra, M. (2022). Umma Kalada Sebagai Ruang Sakral Dan Media Pendidikan Moral Suku Kalindakana Weelewo Katodalobo Sumba Barat Daya Menurut Pemikiran Mircea Eliade. Harmoni, 21(2), 278–299. https://doi.org/10.32488/harmoni.v21i2.590

Adon, M. J., Setiawan, C. V. & Suhardi, A. (2025). The Concept of Armada Riyanto’s Philosophy of Relationality as a Method of Philosophizing in Indonesia. Pancasila: Jurnal Keindonesiaan, 3(2), 1–10.

Albuquerque, J. (2014). Levinas e a reconstrução da subjetividade ética aproximações com o campo da educação. Revista Brasileira de Educação, 19(57), 461–475. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-24782014000200010&lng=pt&tlng=pt

Assyakurrohim, D., Ikhram, D., Sirodj, R. A. & Afgani, M. W. (2022). Metode Studi Kasus dalam Penelitian Kualitatif. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Dan Komputer, 3(01), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.47709/jpsk.v3i01.1951

Berenpas, M. (2021). On facing one’s students: The relevance of Emmanuel Levinas on teaching in times of Covid-19. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12576

Canales, R. M. (2014). Edmund Husserl: La idea de la fenomenología. Investigaciones Fenomenológicas, 0(10). https://doi.org/10.5944/rif.10.2013.11883

Christian, I., Susanta, Y. K. & Putra, Y. Y. (2020). Communication Ethics of Emmanuel Lévinas Perspective. Journal of Critical Reviews ISSN-, 7(04), 2158–2159. https://www.bibliomed.org/?mno=122632

Dominggus, H. A. & Pandor, P. (2022). Membangun Societas Dialogal-Negosiatif dalam Menangkal Radikalisme Agama Berdasarkan Perspektif Filsafat Relasionalitas Armada Riyanto. Jurnal Ilmiah Sosiologi Agama (JISA), 5(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.30829/jisa.v5i1.10316

Dwidiyanti, M., Hadi, I., Wiguna, R. I., Eka, H. & Ningsih, W. (2018). Gambaran Risiko Gangguan Jiwa pada Korban Bencana Alam Gempa di Lombok Nusa Tenggara Barat. Journal of Holistic Nursing And Health Science, 1(2).

Ferry. (2023). Hakikat Politik Dinasti Dari Perspektif Filsafat Sangkan Paraning Dumadi Dalam Bingkai Pancasila. Journal of Constitutional Law and Governance, 3(2), 156–178.

Gaut, G. K. & Tapung, M. M. (2021). Model Lonto Lèok dalam Pembelajaran tentang Mbaru Gendang pada Muatan Lokal Seni Budaya Daerah Manggarai (Riset Desain Pembelajaran Muatan Lokal). EDUNET: The Journal of Humanities and Applied Education, 1(1), 20–42.

Goto, T. A. (2008). A (re)constituição da Psicologia Fenomenológica em Edmund Husserl. PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDIES - Revista Da Abordagem Gestáltica, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.18065/rag.2008v14n1.20

Goto, T. A., Holanda, A. F., & Costa, I. I. da. (2018). Fenomenologia Transcendental E A Psicologia Fenomenologica De Edmund Husserl. Rev. Nufen: Phenom. Interd, 10(3), 38–54. https://doi.org/10.26823/RevistadoNUFEN.vol10.n03artigo35

Indrawan, D. & Jalilah, S. R. (2021). Metode Kombinasi/Campuran Bentuk Integrasi Dalam Penelitian. Jurnal Studi Guru Dan Pembelajaran, 4(3), 735–739. https://doi.org/10.30605/jsgp.4.3.2021.1452

Jama, K. B., Ardika, I. W., Ardhana, I. K., Setiawan, I. K. & Menggo, S. (2020). Metaphor Construction in Caci Performance of Manggarai Speech Community. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(3), 418–426. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1103.10

Javier, F. & Piñero, R. (2022). The Truth as Inspiration in the Thought of Emmanuel Lévinas. Eidos: Fecha de Recepción, 37, 216–243. https://doi.org/https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0733-3153

Levinas, E. (1969). Totality and Infinity: An Essay on Exteriority (Alphonso Lingis (ed.); Original w). Duquesne University Press.

Levinas, E. (1978a). Existence and Existents (A. Lingis (ed.)). Nederlands :The Huge Martinus Nijhof.

Levinas, E. (1978b). Otherwise Than Being or Beyond Essence (T. B. A. Lingis (ed.)). Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Levinas, E. (1995). The Theory Intuition in Husserl’s Phenomenology (translated by Andre Orianne (ed.)). Northwestern University Press.

Levinas, E. (1998a). Collected Philosophical Papers (Alphonso Lingis (ed.)). Duquesne University Press.

Levinas, E. (1998b). Of God Who Comes to Mind (B. Bergo (ed.); Original w). Stanford University Press.

Levinas, E. (1998c). Reflections on Phenomenological Technique”. Discovering Existence with Husserl (R. A. C. and M. B. Smith (ed.)). Northwestern University Press.

McNeilly-Renaudie, J. (2017). God Without God: A Divine Limit to “The Phenomenon.” Phainomenon, 26(1), 195–215. https://doi.org/10.2478/phainomenon-2017-0011

Muñoz, R. S. & Delgadillo, J. M. (2018). El cuerpo vivo y la subjetividad trascendental en la fenomenología de Edmund Husserl The living body and transcendental subjectivity in the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. Veritas, No, 40(Agosto), 9–28.

Nabilah, A. A., Gusnata, G., & Kurniati, K. (2024). Relevansi Pemikiran Etika Politik Islam Al-Mawardi Terkait Kepemimpinan dalam Era Kontemporer. Ethics and Law Journal: Business and Notary, 2(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.61292/eljbn.203

Nggoro, A. M., Samekto, F. A. & Sukirno. (2020). Recontextualizing the patriarchal dominance of the Manggarai heritage customary law system by democratic and gendered orientation. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 13(1), 238–246. https://doi.org/10.31838/ijpr/2021.13.01.038

Ngoro, A. M. (2016). Budaya Manggarai Selayang Pandang (M. Usman (ed.); II). Nusa Indah.

Pandor, P. (2015a). Imanensi dan Trasendensi Mori Kraéng Sebagai Wujud Tertinggi Orang Manggarai. In A. Riyanto, J. Ohoitimur, O. G. Madung & C. B. Mulyanto (Eds.), Kearifan Lokal Pancasila, Butir-Butir Filsafat Keindonesiaan. Kanisius.

Pandor, P. (2015b). Menyibak Praksis Lonto Leok dalam Demokrasi Lokal Manggarai. In A. Riyanto, J. Ohoitimur, C. B. Mulyanto & O. G. Madung (Eds.), Kearifan Lokal-Pancasila Butir-Butir Filsafat Keindonesian (pp. 443–466). Kanisius.

Perdana, M. (2016). Tata Spasial Permukiman Tradisional Manggarai Berdasar Ritual Penti Di Kampung Wae Rebo Di Pulau Flores. Ruang-Space: Jurnal Lingkungan Binaan (Journal of The Built Environment), 3(2). https://doi.org/10.24843/JRS.2016.v03.i02.p06

Riyanto, A. (2015). Kearifan Lokal-Pancasila Butir-butir Filsafat “Keindonesiaan.” In A. Riyanto, J. Ohoitimur, C. B. Mulyatno & O. G. Madung (Eds.), Kearifan Lokal-Pancasila Butir-Butir Filsafat Keindonesian. Kanisius.

Riyanto, A. (2018a). Mendesain Riset Filosofis-Fenomenologis Dalam Rangka Mengembangkan “Berfilsafat Indonesia.” In A. T. Raharso & Yustinus (Eds.), Metodologi Riset Studi Filsafat Teologi (pp. 113–142). Dioma Malang.

Riyanto, A. (2018b). Relasionalitas Filsafat Fondasi Interpretasi: Aku, Teks, Liyan, Fenomen. Kanisius.

Riyanto, A. (2020). Metodologi Pemantik dan Anatomi Riset Filosofis Teologis (1st ed.). Widya Sasana Publication.

Rodríguez, F. J. (2021). Dialogue as Proximity in the Thought of Emmanuel Levinas. Cuadernos Salmantinos de Filosofía, 48, 529–553. https://doi.org/10.36576/summa.144513

Sabon, K. (2018). Konsep Tanggung Jawab dalam Filsafat Emmanuel Levinas. Jurnal Filsafat, 28(1), 47–73. https://journal.ugm.ac.id/wisdom/article/view/31281/20201.

Semiun, A. (2021). Euphemisms as linguistic tool for politeness in Kempo speech of Manggarai. International Journal of Language and Culture, 7(2), 194–214. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1075/ijolc.20038.sem

Sláma, P. (2017). Emanuel Lévinas a židovství. Auc Theologica, 6(2), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.14712/23363398.2016.13

Sriwahyuni, Salemuddin, M. R., Amir, A. & Iskandar, A. M. (2022). A Survey of Wuat Wa’i Ritual Culture As Solidarity Value Of Golo Lebo Community. IJOLEH : International Journal of Education and Humanities, 1(1), 58–70. https://doi.org/10.56314/ijoleh.v1i1.40

Steni, B., Kartodihardjo, H., Adiwibowo, S. & Djakapermana, R. D. (2024). Rule-in-Use for Community-Based Springs Management Faces Land Use Pressures: Lessons Learned from Manggarai District. Indonesian Journal of Socio-Legal Studies, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.54828/ijsls.2024v3n2.5

Suprapto, N., Prahani, B. K. & Cheng, T. H. (2021). Indonesian curriculum reform in policy and local wisdom: Perspectives from science education. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 10(1), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v10i1.28438

Susanta, Y. K. (2018). “Menjadi Sesama Manusia” Persahabatan sebagai Tema Teologis dan Implikasinya Bagi Kehidupan Bergereja. DUNAMIS: Jurnal Teologi Dan Pendidikan Kristiani, 2(2), 103. https://doi.org/10.30648/dun.v2i2.169

Yaniawati, P. (2020). Penelitian Studi Kepustakaan. Penelitian Kepustakaan (Library Research), April 15.

Zaluchu, S. E. (2020). Strategi Penelitian Kualitatif dan Kuantitatif Di Dalam Penelitian Agama. Evangelikal: Jurnal Teologi Injili Dan Pembinaan Warga Jemaat, 4(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.46445/ejti.v4i1.167

Zhao, G. (2015). Transcendence, Freedom, and Ethics in Lévinas’ Subjectivity and Zhuangzi’s Non-Being Self. Philosophy East and West, 25(1).

Interview:

Interview Charles (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/15h4FBGctYPASd28TJ0W6K_L-jxupqMOV/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Damianus Joni (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a_vXmMPlTO9OsZwvW9x4QtspmlMosCTN/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Konstantinus Mon, (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EbnC1ouYFK5Ftgixz2hXeGEQ6hCyE-BA/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Ludovikus, (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/19uZu6dRQ_BfTVJ5T7xtltJuA655WnAWY/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Lukas Trisno, (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1onsBqoOilo4MOFy8v0mYYEMLyxfh6_nl/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Nober Nabar, (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VthdDYw-tAVVfXEH5a16dP0DdgVuSil2/view?usp=drive_link

Interview Regina Mune, (2025). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eVckLfgAN0GBFeY8vsx_Uk08SWbr_lpI/view?usp=drive_link