Petik Laut: Ritual, Meaning, and Environmental Education at Muncar Fishing Port, Banyuwangi, Indonesia

This study explores the potential of the Petik Laut ritual as a medium for environmental education in the Muncar fishing port area, Banyuwangi Regency, Indonesia. Petik Laut, a village purification ritual of the Muncar fishing community, is held annually on the 15th of Muharram. The series of Petik Laut (from preparation to implementation) embodies education through action, narrative, and reflection. Environmental, social, and cultural education in the Muncar fishing port area aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and serves as an implementation of Law No. 5 of 2017 on the Advancement of Culture and the President’s vision. The ritual is structured using aesthetic principles and has the potential to become an engaging performance. This ethnographic study followed three stages: data collection, analysis, and presentation of the analysis results. Secondary data was supplemented with field data gathered through observation, participant observation, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with selected informants. Data analysis was conducted continuously, and data interpretation involved contextualizing each piece of data within the broader relationship to the other data. The results of the analysis were presented verbally and supported by functional nonverbal documentation. The research findings indicate that the practice of the Petik Laut ritual educates and enhances literacy regarding the natural, social, and cultural environments.