TBUKAE TABUA SEBAGAI SIMBOL EKARISTI: INKULTURASI TRADISI ATONI PAH METO DALAM LITURGI KAMIS PUTIH DI LINGKUNGAN SANTO ALEXANDER OELNITEP

Abstract

This article examines Tbukae Tabua, a communal eating ritual in the Atoni Pah Meto culture, as an inculturated expression of the Eucharist during the Holy Thursday liturgy. Using Alfred Schutz’s social phenomenology, this qualitative field study explores the subjective experience of Catholic communities in Oelnitep, who perceive the shared meal not merely as a cultural practice but as a spiritual event rooted in their Lebenswelt. Data were collected through interviews and field observations during Holy Week 2025. The findings have indicated that Tbukae Tabua has become a living symbol of faith: reinforcing relationships, embodying mutual love, and enriching the understanding of Christ’s sacrificial love. As such, it serves as a locus theologicus, where liturgical meaning is incarnated in a local cultural form