Social Exchange In Rural Communities : Case Study Of “Gantangan” Commercialization In The Three Poor Villages in Subang West Java.

Abstract

Gantangan is a social exchange system that develops from the rural traditional custom in Subang regency, West Java. Through this Gantangan we can see how the general reciprocity in rural societies transformed into balanced reciprocity, social exchange and lead to social commercialization. Gantangan that thrive in this traditional celebration party (pesta hajatan) arena is a phenomenon that reflects the changing values in the rural communities into individualistic and contractual exchange. The study purpose is to analyze the transformation of the pattern of Gantangan in three villages which have different poor sociodemographic characteristics, that is in the coastal area (North Subang), lowlands (Central Subang) and uplands (South Subang). The results of this study found the existence of three patterns of exchange in each community, namely: type A (nyambungan), type B (gintingan), type C (golongan). Commercialization rate realized in several stages, including the commercialization on stage 1 (the commodification of traditional-celebration party) and the commercialization on stage 2 (rent seeking).