Number 3 October 2018 HUMANIORA VOLUME 30 Bride-Wealth: Is There Respect for Women in Manggarai, Eastern Indonesia? Yohanes Servatus Lon; Fransiska Widyawat STKIP Santu Paulus Ruteng Flores NTT, Indonesia Corresponding Author: fwidyawati10@gmail.com ABSTRACT This study explores the perspective of women in Manggarai, Flores Island in Indonesia, and the communal- traditional concept of bride-wealth as a symbol of respect for women. This study uses a qualitative approach by interviewing forty women, both married and unmarried. The respondents were asked their opinion regarding their imagination about bride-wealth and its infuence on their courtship, engagement, wedding, and married life. The results indicated the presence of a gap between the social imagination of bride-wealth and the women’s true experience. Most respondents stated how bride-wealth had strained their relationship and become a source of worry. The study therefore argues that bride-wealth as a sign of respect for women in Manggarai is merely a social imagination ingrained into the women’s expectations. The study also indicates that education has changed the status of women and enables them to be independent. Keywords: bride-wealth; marriage; women; discrimination; culture; tradition INTRODUCTION Marriage in Manggarai is not simply a commitment between two individuals but also the unifcation of two big families. Marriage creates a connection between two kin groups linked by the couple. The two kin groups are no longer strangers; they are now members of the new family called woé-nelu (family by marriage). Not only does marriage change the status of a man and a woman, but most importantly, it alters the status of the two families, i.e. the groom’s family becomes the wife-receiver (anak-wina) and the bride’s family becomes the wife-giver (anak-rona). The anak-rona has a blessing and cursing power over the anak-wina because the anak-rona has presented a woman for the anak-wina to live and prosper (Erb, 1999: 44; Lon and Widyawati, 2017b: 131-132). The marriage procedure in Manggarai requires the active involvement of the family members and respected individuals in the village. Their participation becomes especially necessary because of the concept of bride-wealth (see also Kottack, 1994). Bride- wealth was originally introduced to induce pride Page 271–278 doi.org/10.22146/jh.v30i3.29216 jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jurnal-humaniora within the two families (anak-rona and anak-wina) and to strengthen their tie (woé-nelu). The more expensive the bride-wealth was, the prouder the two families would be (Sudi, 2016; Cangkung, 2016). Several studies done by Gordon (1975, pp. 215-216), Nggoro (2006p. 119), Ndung (2009), and Boylon (2009, pp. 201-202) argue that bride-wealth today functions also as a symbol of respect (hiang) for the bride. Bride-wealth also symbolizes the spirit of co- operation and signifes the legality of marriage, the right to have children, the stability of marriage, and the compensation for labor. Bride-wealth can come in the form of animals like bufalo and horse (paca), which is termed ‘things outside the house’ (pé’ang tana) or it can be in the form of money (doi pongo) or also known as ‘things inside the house’ (oné mbaru) (see also Taylor, 1963: 72). However, there have been debates on the role of bride-wealth in today’s Manggaraian society. Many young people view bride-wealth more as a burden or even as a scourge (Wangkut, 2015). They are also