Proverbs as Catechetical Pathways: Internalizing Faith and Values of the Teing Hang Ritual

Agustinus Manfred Habur

doi:10.15826/csp.2026.10.2.391

Agustinus Manfred Habur Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia http://orcid.org/0009-0000-6410-0017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2026.10.2.391

Abstract

Ritual proverbs play a central role in the Teing Hang ritual of Manggarai, Eastern Indonesia. However, their theological and catechetical significance remains largely unexplored. Existing scholarship has predominantly approached Manggarai ritual from anthropological and linguistic perspectives, leaving a significant gap in understanding how these proverbs function as mediums of faith formation within the community. This article addresses this gap by examining how proverbs in the Teing Hang ritual operate as catechetical pathways that internalize religious beliefs and communal values. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of Church teachings on catechesis and inculturation. The findings show that the ritual proverbs function as a form of lived catechesis through five interconnected roles: transmitting core elements of faith, mediating the inculturation of Christian teaching within local tradition, nurturing ecological consciousness, reinforcing communal and moral formation, and revealing pedagogical challenges across generations. By integrating catechetical theology, inculturation theory, and anthropological linguistics, the study argues that Manggarai ritual proverbs constitute an indigenous pedagogical framework through which faith is embodied, remembered, and transmitted. This study contributes to catechetical theology and inculturation studies by demonstrating the potential of Indigenous ritual language as a dynamic resource for contextual faith formation in culturally diverse societies.

Author Biography

Agustinus Manfred Habur, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Agustinus Manfred Habur is a Senior Lecturer in the Theology Study Program at Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. He specializes in catechetics and is actively involved in teaching and research in theology and religious studies related to the life of the Church and local communities. His academic work includes participation in scholarly forums, research projects, and publications focusing on the development of contextual theological thought and catechetical ministry. In addition to his academic responsibilities, he is also engaged in pastoral activities and community service. His work emphasizes dialogue between faith, local culture, and social realities. Through his academic and pastoral contributions, he seeks to enrich theological reflection and catechetical practices that are relevant to the context of the Church in Indonesia. His research interests are Catechetics, Contextual Theology, Pastoral Theology, Church and Society Studies, and Christian Spirituality.

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