Embodied Motherhood: Material Culture in Tolaki’s Oral Narrative and Sarapeana Tradition

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_9How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Motherhood; Oral Narrative; Sarapeana Tradition; Material Culture; Tolaki

Abstract

This paper explores the embodiment of motherhood in the oral narrative and sarapeana tradition of the Tolaki people through the perspective of material culture. Sarapeana, a customary practice dedicated to honoring mothers, presents a rich intersection between tangible objects and intangible oral expressions. Material items such as the sarong, the basin used for bathing babies, the dipper, and the lamp as a nocturnal light serve not only practical functions but also act as cultural symbols that reinforce the mother’s role as nurturer, caregiver, and protector. These objects embody values of warmth, care, and guidance that are central to the construction of motherhood in Tolaki society. In parallel, oral narratives accompanying the tradition articulate these values in sara language conveyed by tolea and pabitara, transmitting ethical lessons across generations. By analyzing the interplay between material and oral dimensions, this study argues that sarapeana represents a unique cultural articulation of motherhood that transcends biological function and emphasizes the ethical, social, and spiritual centrality of mothers. This approach highlights how indigenous traditions provide alternative frameworks to theorize motherhood, contributing to broader scholarly dialogues in cultural studies and literature.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Heksa Biopsi Puji Hastuti
AU  - A. B. Takko Bandung
AU  - Dessy Wahyuni
AU  - Herry Yogaswara
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/04
TI  - Embodied Motherhood: Material Culture in Tolaki’s Oral Narrative and Sarapeana Tradition
BT  - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Linguistics and Cultural Studies (ICLC-6 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 88
EP  - 98
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_9
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-613-0_9
ID  - Hastuti2026
ER  -