MASSEMPEK FOLK GAMES IN THE TOLOTANG COMMUNITY, INDONESIA.

• Author: Suryaningsi, Tini

1. Introduction

   The Tolotang community is a community who has maintained beliefs from their ancestors until today. Like in Ghana, Gyamfi (Adu-Gyamfi 2020) explained that religion affects family status in the social environment in Ghana. Religion is interpreted as the primary form of mutual coordination, and communication experience in a social subsystem (Golozubov 2014).

   Although this community is a minority in society, especially in the Bugis area, the Tolotang community continues to grow. Their existence is inseparable from a challenging experience and many challenges outside their community. Their presence was considered to disturb the order of life of the Bugis people, who at that time had embraced Islam. The Tolotang community remains steadfast in maintaining the beliefs passed down from generation to generation to feel comfortable and accurate in their beliefs. That often created tension in society at that time. Even in history, it is stated that this community had to leave Wajo because they did not obey the king's orders. In Southern Oregon, the Klamath Tribe used their traditional practices to articulate the strength, resilience, and heritage pride that characterizes the modern Klamath community (Connolly et al. 2022).

   Towani is a belief of the people who inhabit the Bugis area, so the Towani Tolotang community is called. The beliefs they profess are ancestral beliefs, which are passed down from one generation to the next. The Towani Tolotang community originally came from the Wajo area and spread to several districts, namely Sidenreng Rappang and Parepare. The Towani Tolotang community centre is in Amparita, Tellu Limpoe District, Sidenreng Rappang Regency. Religion influences many factors, including thoughts, actions, psychology, emotions, philosophical perspectives, art, customs, and rituals (Thuy 2022). Mantha (Mantha 2022) in his article describes people in the Rapayan region of the Peruvian Highlands. They build settlements at the foot of ancestral graves to control access to the ancestors of the founders of the community, who are believed to have the cosmological vitality needed for the reproduction of the collectivism and are called collective agency ancestors.

   Belief in Dewata Seuwae became a stream of public trust in the past before the arrival of Islam. The Towani people's belief system existence was finally disturbed when they were forced to embrace Islam. Islamization in their territory forces them to leave their homes by bringing the belief system they have been running for generations. The Karbis Assamese socio-religious system is based on belief in magic, spirits, and ancestor worship. The ritual contains the migration history of Karbis, a clan-based society, which led to the synthesis of new beliefs with traditional belief systems (Hansepi and Laisram 2022).

   According to historical records, the Towani people felt uncomfortable when the King of Wajo, La Mungkace (1582), ordered all his citizens to embrace Islam. The belief in beliefs that they have been holding was disturbed as were Towani people. However, their desire to maintain Towani's teachings was steadfast, while on the royal side, they continued to urge them to accept Islamic teachings. Because of this, there was tension between the Towani people and the kingdom. Even I Goliga, a princess from Towani who married a prince, was forced to join the Towani community, and leave the domain.

   When the Towani people occupied the Sidenreng area, the King of Sidenreng made a particular condition. If the Towani people are willing to obey the rules and agreements agreed upon, they are allowed to settle in the Sidenreng area. The deal contains an order to the Towani people to continue to carry out Islamic wedding and funeral rituals. However, outside of these rituals, they can carry on with their customs and beliefs. The Towani people's history in carrying out their religion and beliefs comes from the agreement. After the incident, the Towani people were given the Sidenreng area in the south as a place to live.

   According to history, the term Tolotang given to the Towani people first appeared when the king called them 'ollie renga tolotangnge pasarenge', which means to reach those in the south. Since then, the Towani people are also often called Tolotang, or people from the south.

   The process of social interaction of the Tolotang people is trying to maintain good relations with everyone. Adjusting to the environment strives to continue well despite the differences in beliefs. Tolotang people respect other people's beliefs that differ from theirs and vice versa. In contrast, non-Tolotang people respect the differences in beliefs by establishing cooperative relationships in various areas of life.

   Dialogue is important in order to increase understanding, acceptance, and tolerance between groups in a pluralistic society (Ardi, Tobing, Agustina, Iswahyudi, and Budiarti 2021). The framework of social harmony in Sabah is designed to establish harmonies so that different social environments foster religious tolerance and encourage people to accept others as they are (Mohd Khalli, Sintang, and Kamu 2022). Although there are differences between beliefs in embracing religion, they found similarities related to emotional competence. The structure of the faith model is an adult attitude with self-discipline as a value of harmony (Khon and Kim 2016). The importance of applying religious norms to live peacefully in a pluralistic society (Dahl, Berner, Jesuthasan, Wehry, and Srinivasan 2022).

   Helping each other is a concept of reciprocal relationships between each other. The law of life for the Tolotang people is to do good to others, which means sincerely loving others, not holding grudges, harming, misleading or troubling others. In addition, the Tolotang people have the principle not to be arrogant but instead be humble themselves. Pride only benefits oneself and wants to dominate so that it causes havoc in life. Likewise, self-deprecation does not mean a lack of confidence or feeling inferior but shows obedience to the teachings of Dewata Seuwae. Humility breeds victory over oneself in controlling oneself while living in this world.

   The dependence of society and individuals on supernatural powers is found from ancient times to modern times. The belief is believed to be accurate, so it becomes a religious belief. Faith in the sacredness of something in anthropology and the sociology of religion has a sacred nature. The existence of rules for individuals in social life, relating to their natural environment or God, is also found in every society. Religious morality encourages people to anticipate supernatural punishment for violating morals. Karma is believed to occur after humans die. Therefore the individual has a responsibility when in the world (Willard, Baimel, Turpin, Jong, and Whitehouse 2020). The Towani Tolotang people, they have their own beliefs from their ancestors. They do not believe in Islam, but their religion still believes in spirits and sacred places. Their belief in holy places and ancestral spirits is still maintained today. Fabiano (Fabiano, Schulz, and Martin Branas 2021) explains that the Urarina people in the Chambira Basin, Peru's Amazonian region, continue to practice religious rituals despite increasing external threats. Belief is generally identified with the senses as the content of religion, namely with supernatural powers. Religious behaviour is more defined as the communicated acceptance of supernatural claims (Steadman and Palmer 1995).

   Although various challenges have been faced that have ordered them to leave their religion, most still preserve their faith. Moreover, some follow the government's wishes by converting to Islam, known as Tolotang Benteng. They are Muslim but still carry out their customs according to the beliefs of their ancestors. Obedience to faith is directly proportional to obedience to their leader, known as Uwa or Uwatta.

   The village in Amparita is the centre of the existence of the Tolotang Community from three social groups distinguished in terms of belief. The three social groups are the Towani Tolotang Community, the Tolotang Benteng Community, and local communities or Muslim groups. The Towani Tolotang and Tolotang Benteng communities came from the same neighbourhood: the Towani Tolotang. However, due to various pressures and external influences, some adherents of the Towani Tolotang Community switched to forming the Tolotang Benteng Community. Tolotang Benteng claims to be adherents of Islam, but they still carry out traditions and rituals. In contrast to the Towani Tolotang Community, which still adheres to the Towani beliefs. Even though they consist of several social groups, they respect each other and respect each other with their respective faiths.

2. Literature review

   Folk games are games played by people. At ancestral times, Folk games were passed down from generation to generation, becoming a tradition in the community. Folk games are traditional because they have developed for a long time. Therefore, folk games are often also called traditional games. Traditional games are traditions created through the process of commoditization and commercialization. Traditional games are currently very few or they could even be endangered. Therefore, it needs the attention and support of the community so that it can exist again (Bjeljac, Terzic, Brankov, and Vujovic 2021).

   Games are one aspect of cultural transmission in ensuring intergenerational play. Each society has its traditional games that have been adopted over the years and from generation to generation (Sallabas 2020). The intensive sociality of traditional folk games makes them vital to folk culture. Entering the game entails entering society. Since games are cultural symbols, a thorough understanding of game culture is a crucial part of social knowledge. Historical eras, societies, economy, politics...