Profesi Pa’ala Wai Sauq Sebagai Sumber Pendapatan Dan Kebiasaan Mengonsumsi Di Desa Sepa Batu

Abstract

Massauq wai or drawing water, has been a long-standing tradition inherited by the people of Sepa Batu Village for generations. The dependence on wai sauq has existed for a long time and remains unchanged until nowadays. Despite the increasing availability of commercially produced mineral water, many residents have not shifted their preference and continue to consume wai sauq. Consequently, the profession of pa’ala wai sauq or traditional water collectors has persisted to the present time. This writing aims to understand how the profession of pa’ala or wai sauq producers survives amid contemporary life, which already offers certified mineral water sources. Also, this writing seeks to reveal the habits and reasons behind why people still consume wai sauq in their daily lives. To collect data, the authors conducted a literature review of previous works, interviewed producers and consumers of wai sauq, and carried out direct field observations of the wai sauq production process. The research findings indicate that for the people of Sepa Batu, wai sauq is not merely water consumed for daily needs. Rather, it has become an integral part of the community’s socio-cultural and economic ecosystem. Moreover, wai sauq has been believed to have efficacy which has not been had by other mineral water. Ultimately, wai sauq has established an economic ecosystem for a segment of the community, making its continued use deeply embedded and not easily replaced.