Teaching the Seloko Adat Jambi to Improve Morality and Social Control

Abstract

Seloko adat traditional sayings that contain advice on morality and social norms used in Jambi Malay society passed down orally to the members of the Jambi community. Because of modernization, the customs surrounding seloko adat have eroded, and they are used only at ceremonial events, such as wedding receptions or other traditional events. Thus, the traditional values expressed in seloko are rarely communicated within the Jambi community. The purpose of this study is investigate seloko adat and its influence over the current culture of the Jambi Malay. The study results showed that 1) the use and importance of seloko have greatly diminished in the Jambi community, and the sayings are not widely known; 2) the values expressed through seloko have great potential to assist socio-emotional regulation for individuals within the Jambi community; and 3) seloko should be disseminated to children through formal education to embed values and norms that will assure the survival of the Jambi nation’s morality and culture. Keywords—seloko adat, jambi malay, social control