Local Wisdom in Monogamous Marriage: Lessons on Gender Relations from the Baduy Tribe in Banten

Kiki Muhamad Hakiki (Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Intan Lampung)
Zaenal Muttaqien (Politeknik Negeri Media Kreatif Jakarta)
Ratu Vina Rohmatika (Universitas Islam Negeri Jurai Siwo Lampung)

Proceedings of International Conference on Religion, Social and Humanities
Vol 4 (2025): Religion and Social Transformation in the Digital Era

This study confirms that the Baduy community's monogamous marriage system is an expression of profound local wisdom, where traditional values, spirituality, and morality are integrated into a harmonious social order. Monogamy in the Baduy context is not merely a form of marriage institution, but a manifestation of a way of life (cara hirup) that places loyalty, simplicity, and balance as the foundation of human relations. The prohibition of divorce and polygamy is not a form of restriction on individual freedom, but rather a symbol of social and spiritual stability that maintains the integrity of the community. Thus, gender relations within the Baduy monogamous system are complementary—not competitive—where women and men have moral authority and social responsibility in different spaces, but support each other ethically and spiritually.