The research examines the Ma'atenu ritual communication of the Pelauw Muslim community in Indonesia. Ma'atenu is an integral part of the community's rituals, combining Islamic teachings with local wisdom. The ritual involves prayer, the use of various media like machetes and swords, and acts of self-testing and immunity through cutting, slicing, and stabbing body parts. The study employs an ethnographic communication approach to understand the symbolic meanings and patterns of communication within the Ma'atenu ritual. The findings reveal that the ritual communication events represent symbols of the ritual clan structure, sacred meals, self-cleansing, ritual communication actions, and fabric wreath. These symbols convey meanings of devotion, struggle, disposal of bad attitudes, immunity and power, and self-recovery. The communication patterns within the Ma'atenu ritual include pleas to God, veneration of ancestral spirits, and social solidarity among the Pelauw Muslim community.

1. Ma'atenu is a ritual communication practice of the Pelauw Muslim community that combines Islamic teachings and local wisdom
2. The ritual involves prayer, the use of various media like machetes and swords, and acts of self-testing and immunity through cutting, slicing, and stabbing body parts
3. The study employs an ethnographic communication approach to understand the symbolic meanings and patterns of communication within the Ma'atenu ritual
4. The ritual communication events represent symbols of the ritual clan structure, sacred meals, self-cleansing, ritual communication actions, and fabric wreath
5. These symbols convey meanings of devotion, struggle, disposal of bad attitudes, immunity and power, and self-recovery
6. The communication patterns within the Ma'atenu ritual include pleas to God, veneration of ancestral spirits, and social solidarity among the Pelauw Muslim community.

This research has analysed the Ma’atenu communication rituals of Pelauw people. All activities in Ma’atenu symbolises the people eagerness to serve, struggle, alleviate bad attitude, gain power and immunity, and self-recovery.

The communication events analysed using the Dell Hymes speaking method. The data was analysed based on communication components that form Ma’atenu ritual communication pattern to the Pelauw community. The communication pattern of plea to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, respect for ancestral spirits and create social solidarity among people. This communication pattern, like collective action, contains transcendental elements that loaded with sacred values, tendencies of symbols and its embedded meanings.

The recommendations of this research are to emphasise the continuity of the issue from a different approach. A qualitative approach with a different method is expected to strengthen the findings. There is much space for prospective research, for instance, is the life experience of Ma’atenu performers. For example, that the perpetrators of ritual communication use nonverbal media (sharp objects, such as machetes, swords, knives, razors) to stab, cut, and slice the entire body, do not bleed and/ or suffer injuries. Through a phenomenological perspective, they can explore their communication experiences. The process of ritual communication carried out by the Pelauw community needs to be preserved and introduced to the broader community. Researchers expected for government intervention to promote Ma’atenu as cultural tourism to benefits to the Pelauw community, as well as improving the level of economic prosperity.

To policymakers from the middle level to the regions and policy implementers on the local level should obtain essential knowledge about the views, feelings and the need of Pelauw people. With suitable regulation, policymakers can maintain Ma’atenu against claims of cultural ownership.