Traditional Speech of Pamale (Engagement Ceremony) of Loura Culture, Southwest Sumba: An Ethnography of Speaking

This research aims to describe and analyze the forms, social functions, and cultural meanings of traditional speech in the Pamale engagement ceremony of the Loura people in Southwest Sumba. Employing a qualitative approach with the ethnography of communication method, this study examines ritual communication practices through Dell Hymes’ SPEAKING model. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with Ata Panewe (traditional spokespersons), and audio-visual documentation. The findings reveal that Pamale traditional speech is dominated by semantic parallelism (ritual parallelism), utilizing standardized word pairs as a manifestation of the Loura cosmology. Functionally, this speech acts as a performative speech act that legitimizes the customary legal status of the couple and serves as an instrument for conflict mitigation through the use of euphemisms during Belis (bride price) negotiations. The cultural meaning within this speech represents a total social fact that transforms material economic value into symbolic honor for the clan (Kabizu). The study concludes that Pamale traditional speech is not merely an oral tradition but a legal instrument and a guardian of social harmony that binds the Loura community amidst the currents of modernization.