Mataram — The Penyakap and Epe tradition in Mataram City is more than an agricultural economic practice. It has developed into a social space that strengthens religious tolerance and harmony between communities. This finding was reported by Gusti Ayu Santi Patni R. from IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram in a study examining the Penyakap and Epe tradition as a space for religious moderation and non-formal education within a multicultural community. The study shows that social relations between the Sasak and Balinese Hindu communities through this tradition foster tolerance, mutual respect, cooperation, and appreciation of differences.
Indonesia’s diverse society, consisting of different religions, ethnic groups, cultures, and traditions, requires social spaces that can maintain positive relationships between communities. Religious moderation does not have to be developed only through formal educational institutions or government policies. It can also grow through people’s everyday experiences. Local cultural practices can serve as social learning spaces where different groups meet and develop habits of mutual respect.
Mataram City provides an example of a multicultural society where Sasak and Balinese Hindu communities have interacted for generations. Their relationships are not limited to religious activities but also extend to economic, social, and cultural interactions. One of these spaces of interaction can be found in the Penyakap and Epe tradition, which has been practiced across generations.
In this tradition, Penyakap refers to people who cultivate agricultural land, while Epe refers to landowners. The relationship initially developed around agricultural land management and profit-sharing arrangements, but it has expanded into broader social relationships. Long-term interaction has created trust, responsibility, and relationships that increasingly resemble family ties.
The study by Gusti Ayu Santi Patni R. found that religious differences do not prevent Penyakap and Epe communities from maintaining harmonious social relationships. Both groups respect each other’s religious activities and practices. Their relationship can be seen when they attend social events such as weddings, circumcision ceremonies, funerals, and other religious activities.
These findings demonstrate that religious moderation can emerge from simple but consistent social experiences. People do not necessarily need to participate in formal educational settings to practice tolerance. Everyday interactions can become a learning process that develops habits of respecting differences.
The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected through interviews with community leaders and practitioners of the Penyakap and Epe tradition, observations of community activities, and documentation from relevant literature and supporting documents. The data were analyzed by organizing information according to themes, interpreting field findings, and connecting the findings with concepts of religious moderation, non-formal education, multicultural communities, and structural functionalism.
The study also found that cooperation within the Penyakap and Epe tradition takes several forms, including nyakap or profit-sharing, annual or contract-based arrangements, leasing, and pawning. These relationships are based on agreements, trust, and mutual responsibility. Agricultural relationships that have continued for decades have gradually created stronger social trust between landowners and cultivators.
The significance of the tradition therefore goes beyond its economic function. Long-term working relationships provide opportunities for people from different religious backgrounds to know and understand one another. The values of cooperation developed through agricultural activities can extend into social relationships beyond economic interactions.
The Penyakap and Epe tradition also functions as a form of non-formal education. Learning does not take place through classrooms or formal curricula, but through interaction, example, and everyday community practices. Younger generations can learn tolerance, respect for differences, social responsibility, and the importance of maintaining positive relationships between groups by participating in community life.
These findings broaden the understanding of religious moderation education. Education for tolerance does not always have to take the form of school subjects, formal programs, or religious institutional activities. Local traditions that continue to be practiced can also function as cultural pedagogy, teaching diversity through real-life experiences.
Within the relationship between the Sasak and Balinese Hindu communities in Mataram, the Penyakap and Epe tradition creates a space where both groups can maintain their religious identities while building harmonious social relationships. The study shows that balancing personal beliefs with positive social relationships is one of the strengths of the tradition in maintaining multicultural community integration.
Gusti Ayu Santi Patni R. identifies the Penyakap and Epe tradition as a space for religious moderation that operates through three main mechanisms: economic relationships, social interaction, and non-formal education. Together, these mechanisms create a process of social learning that enables Sasak and Balinese Hindu communities to maintain harmonious relationships in everyday life.
The findings have implications for government institutions, educational organizations, and local communities. Preserving local traditions is important not only for protecting cultural heritage but also for strengthening tolerance, social cohesion, and inclusive community life. The study recommends further research on the roles of community leaders, religious figures, families, and younger generations in maintaining the tradition, as well as comparative studies in other multicultural regions.
Author
Gusti Ayu Santi Patni R. — IAHN Gde Pudja Mataram
Research Source
Title: The Tradition of Penyakap and Epe as a Space for Religious Moderation: A Study of Non-Formal Education of Multicultural Communities in Mataram City
Journal: International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), Vol. 4 No. 8, 2026, pages 1649–1660.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijsmr.v4i8.147
Journal Link: https://journalijsmr.my.id/index.php/ijsmr
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