KOMUNIKASI RITUAL MASYARAKAT JEPARA DALAM TRADISI PESTA LOMBAN (Studi Kasus pada Masyarakat Desa Ujungbatu, Kecamatan Jepara, Kabupaten Jepara)

The Lomban Festival is a tradition of sea alms that originates from Jepara Regency and was the only party on the coast in 1868, and is proven in the Dutch East Indies Journal. Ujungbatu Village is the center for implementing traditions and continues to preserve traditions to this day. The Lomban party is intended as an expression of gratitude and supplication to God and to maintain harmony and balance in the relationship between humans and nature. This research aims to determine and describe the ritual communication process of the Jepara community in the Lomban Festival tradition in Ujungbatu village.
Basically, ritual communication in the Lomban Festival tradition contains the meaning of certain symbols. Ritual communication is related to the existence of groups that have similar beliefs, which are aimed at forming sacred communication patterns. In its implementation, the forms of communication contained are verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is in the form of prayer messages conveyed by traditional organizers and non-verbal communication is in the form of sernemi dances which depict fishermen's activities. The use of objects as ritual media and verbal and non-verbal messages forms relevance to the basic theory of symbolic interaction. Where an interaction occurs contains symbolism within a community group.
This research uses a qualitative approach with an interpretive type and is based on case study research. The data collection technique was obtained using interview and documentation techniques with 5 (five) subjects obtained through the snowball technique. All data was analyzed using Robert K. Yin's data analysis concept which tested the validity of the data using data source triangulation techniques.
The ritual communication process of the Ujungbatu Village community in the Lomban Festival tradition is a symbolic interaction process that uses verbal and non-verbal message symbols, as well as objects that have meaning. The process of exchanging messages occurs in interactions between humans and humans to equalize perceptions regarding symbols from the old generation to the next generation, interactions between humans and nature as a form of offering and restoration of relationships, and interactions between humans and God as a form of gratitude to God.