The Meaning of Death and the Phenomenon of Violence: A Theological Dialogue Approach between Marapu and Catholicism in Sumba

Abstract

The phenomenon of social violence in Sumba reflects broader dynamics within the Asian context, where death, communal conflict, and the pursuit of reconciliation are often linked to local belief systems. The Marapu tradition emphasizes the value of cosmic harmony, yet contemporary realities reveal an increase in conflicts related to land, inheritance, and family relations. This study addresses a gap in previous research, which has tended to frame Marapu rituals within an anthropological-sociological framework, thereby neglecting their theological dimensions and potential for reconciliation. Using Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics, this study offers a methodological innovation through the fusion of theological analysis, ethnography, and a Catholic theological reading to interpret the meaning of death and violence within the horizon of local cosmology. The Marapu tradition is understood as a religious system that affirms the continuity of life, ancestral relationships, and cosmic balance, while the Catholic faith interprets death as participation in the Paschal mystery and the path toward divine communion. The analysis shows that violence in Sumba can be interpreted as a distortion of the values of relationship and honor upheld through death rites. The convergence of the horizons of these two traditions opens the possibility for a contextual theology of reconciliation, emphasizing relationality and community unity. Pastorally, this study offers a paradigm of peace rooted in local culture while corresponding with the Christian mystery of salvation.