Pamali as a Social Bond of Kuta Traditional Village Communities

Kuta village is a traditional village located in Karangpaningal village, Tambaksari district, Ciamis regency, West Java province, Indonesia. At least three things make Kuta village a traditional one. There are similarities in terms of materials and forms of their residential buildings, still preserved rooted deep customs, and finally, there still exist traditional leaders and Kuncen who oversee the course of customs. These traditional customs are actualized in the form of Pamali. This research portrayed Pamali enforced in Kuta Traditional Village who can move the community and bind it with social bonds. This study used a qualitative approach with an ethnographic method. The data analysis was done through observation, open interviews, and documentation. The results showed that Pamali in Kuta Traditional Village affects almost all aspects of life, such as: Pamali related to procedure for building a house, house materials, the shape of the house, the direction of the house, the layout of the house, the layout of the rooms; Pamali related to the preservation of Leuweung Karamat “sacred forest”; Pamali related to naming someone; Pamali related to health issues; Pamali related to working procedures; Pamali related to marriage; Pamali related to burial of the body; and Pamali related to rituals. All forms of Pamali act as social institutions that control the behavior of Kuta residents in interacting with their ancestors, others, and nature. Pamali is a social bond that leads to sustainability customs, community harmony, conservation of residents health, and preservation of the environment.