Makna Simbol “Wiwitan” Sebagai Identitas Budaya Dalam Upacara Panen Padi Di Desa Ganggang Kabupaten Nganjuk (Studi pada masyarakat Desa Ganggang,Kecamatan Patianrowo, Kab Nganjuk)

Wiwitan is a Javanese agrarian ritual practiced by the community of Ganggang Village, Nganjuk Regency, as an expression of gratitude for the rice harvest and as a means of preserving cultural identity. This study aims to explore the symbolic meanings within the Wiwitan ceremony using an interpretive paradigm with a qualitative ethnographic approach. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with elders and farmers, and documentation. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological method that emphasizes participants’ lived experiences in interpreting ritual symbols. The findings reveal that each symbol in Wiwitan, such as uborampe, offerings, the determination of auspicious days, and ceremonial procedures, embodies religious, social, and ecological values. These symbols strengthen community solidarity, maintain harmony between humans and nature, and affirm local cultural identity. Thus, Wiwitan is not only a harvest ritual but also a form of cultural and spiritual communication that sustains local wisdom amid modernization.