KOMUNIKASI RITUAL PADA RUWATAN MASSAL DI TEMPAT WISATA KAYANGAN API

This study aims to describe and narrate the ritual communication process in the mass ruwatan (purification) tradition at the Kayangan Api tourism object, Bojonegoro, as well as how this practice constructs a shared reality and maintains cultural identity amidst social change. A qualitative descriptive method with a constructivist paradigm was employed, wherein data were gathered through in-depth interviews with the caretaker (juru kunci), committee members, and participants, as well as through observation, documentation, and literature review. The interactive data analysis included data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions.

The main findings indicate that the mass ruwatan at Kayangan Api is a form of ritual communication that functions as a collective symbolic action to cleanse oneself from bad luck (sengkolo). This is achieved through a series of sacred processions, starting from the preparation stage (ngaturi and fasting), the use of ritual offerings (sesajen), and the puppet show (wayang) performing the Murwakala story as a means of purification, to the core rituals consisting of hair-cutting (jamasan) and floating the symbols of impurity down the Bengawan Solo River. Although this tradition has been successfully preserved as an annual government agenda and a tourist attraction, it faces challenges such as a shift in the sacred values and spiritual intensity due to bureaucratic formalization and shortened ritual preparation duration.

Furthermore, this study aims to analyze the communication phenomenon in the Mass ruwatan at Kayangan Api using James W. Carey's ritual theory of communication. The results show that this ritual involves three main integrated processes: the repetition of action (repetition) performed once a year on the 1st of Suro—which is considered an auspicious day; collective participation (participation) that fosters a spirit of mutual cooperation and brotherhood (serawungan and seduluran) among citizens and participants (sukerta); and the maintenance of a shared belief system (maintenance of shared belief) that enables this tradition to persist across generations. The Mass ruwatan at Kayangan Api is a flexible ritual communication system capable of balancing past spirituality with the psychological needs of modern society through the integration of intensive nonverbal elements, such as the eternal flame, white attire, and hair-cutting. This ritual successfully reaffirms the collective identity of the Bojonegoro community while preventing social alienation in the era of modernization.