Gender Representation in the Belis Tradition in Wewewa Tengah District, Southwest Sumba Regency: A Critical Study of Roles and Expectations : Representasi Gender Dalam Tradisi Belis Di Kecamatan Wewewa Tengah Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya: Studi Kritis Atas Peran Dan Ekspektasi

YOSEPINA SESI (UNIVERSITAS PGRI MAHADEWA INDONESIA)
Nih Luh Putu Tejawati (Universitas PGRI mahadewa Indonesia)
Ni Putu Yuniarika Parwati (Universitas PGRI mahadewa Indonesia)

Santhet: (Jurnal Sejarah, Pendidikan Dan Humaniora)
Vol 10 No 5 (2026): Santhet (Jurnal Sejarah Pendidikan Dan Humaniora)

The belis tradition remains an essential part of customary marriage in Central Wewewa District, Southwest Sumba Regency, serving as a cultural practice that shapes gender roles and social relations. However, studies on gender representation within this tradition remain limited. This study aims to analyze gender representation, gender roles and expectations, and their implications for the development of the belis tradition amid social change. This research employed a critical qualitative approach using interviews, observations, and documentation. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that the belis tradition continues to reflect a patrilineal system in which men hold customary and economic responsibilities, while women symbolize family honor and kinship. Nevertheless, education, economic transformation, and modernization have encouraged the negotiation of gender roles, making the tradition more adaptive without abandoning its cultural values. This study contributes to gender and cultural studies by showing that the belis tradition functions as a dynamic space for preserving culture while negotiating gender relations in contemporary society.