Changes in the Activities of Suku Laut Women in the Riau Islands

This article aims to describe changes in the role of women in the Riau Islands after being laid off by the government since the 1990s-2015. This research uses the perspective of sociology and gender studies in looking at the causes of change and the forms of change that occur in the women of the Suku Laut in the Riau Islands. The research method used is a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Data collection was carried out by in-depth interviews and observations of 5 informants of the Suku Laut in the Riau Islands. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews and observations of five Suku Laut informants in the Riau Islands. This research was conducted from July 2024 to February 2025. Emile Durkheim's Solidarity Theory in analysing the changes of the Suku Laut community from nomadic to settled. Talcott Parsons' Structure and Role Theory was used to analyse the changing role of the women of the Suku Laut. Based on the results of the research, there are four causes of role changes in the women of the Suku Laut in Riau Islands, namely, access to settlements, access to education, shifting social values in the Suku Laut family and government intervention. The role changes that occur in the women of the Suku Laut can be seen from the activities of processing catches, making fishing nets, making woven serving hoods and kajang, becoming posyandu cadres and being active in religious activities.