Year: 2026 | Month: May | Volume: 13 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 369-378
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260532
Cultural Heritage and Maritime Spirituality: The Interplay of Religion and Maritime Traditions in Southeast Sulawesi
I Ketut Suardika1, Julsari Karopak1, La Aso2*, Jafar Ahiri3, Nasruddin Suyuti4, Yuniarti3
1Department of Primary School Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Indonesia
2Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Indonesia
3Department of Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Indonesia
4Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: I Ketut Suardika
ABSTRACT
This article examines maritime spirituality as a living cultural heritage within the coastal communities of Southeast Sulawesi, and focuses on the dynamic relationship between religion and local maritime traditions. For these coastal societies, the sea is perceived not merely as an economic resource, but as a sacred space imbued with cosmological, ethical, and social significance. Utilizing a qualitative-interpretative approach grounded in the anthropology of religion and cultural heritage studies, this research analyses how Islamic teachings and coastal customary practices are negotiated and integrated into daily life. Maritime rituals, prayers for safety before seafaring, and ecological taboos represent forms of lived religion, where religious beliefs are manifested in concrete social practices. The findings indicate that modernization driven by marine tourism development, ocean conservation policies, and market economy integration does not necessarily erode maritime spirituality. Instead, modernization prompts a process of reinterpretation, institutionalization, and symbolic re-articulation of coastal traditions. Despite undergoing formal transformations, core values such as gratitude, safety, social solidarity, and ecological balance are maintained. These findings challenge the classical assumptions of secularization theory by demonstrating that modernization in Southeast Sulawesi produces a unique configuration of the relationship between religion and tradition, rather than their separation. Ultimately, maritime spirituality serves as both a source of social identity and an ethical framework for the sustainability of coastal life.
Keywords: maritime spirituality, cultural heritage, coastal traditions, religion and modernity
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