<![CDATA[The Pungguan tradition constitutes a crucial socio-religious rite historically and contemporarily practiced by the Javanese Tondano (Jaton) diaspora community in Minahasa, North Sulawesi. This study aims to systematically reconstruct the historical origins and the trajectory of cultural dynamics of the Pungguan tradition within the social and religious life of the Jaton community. Methodologically, this research is grounded in a cultural history framework, applying standard historical methods comprising four sequential stages: heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Empirical and primary data were comprehensively gathered through meticulous historical archival research, critical literature reviews, and extensive in-depth interviews with local traditional figures and religious leaders. The findings indicate that the cultural history of the Pungguan tradition is deeply rooted in ancestral Javanese traditions, operating as a localized cultural adaptation of the Nyadran or Megengan rites. This sacred practice was directly brought to the Minahasa region by the exiled entourage of Kyai Modjo following the Java War in the nineteenth century, particularly developing during the 1890s era. The Jaton community has successfully preserved and consistently transmitted this cultural practice intergenerationally up to the present day. The historical continuity of the Pungguan tradition reinforces its vital role as an enduring marker of collective historical origins, while simultaneously strengthening the construction of a distinct Javanese Tondano cultural identity that endures in Minahasa.]]>
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