Intermarriage and reciprocal household exchange practices in a mixed community in R oti, I ndonesia

For several generations, intermarriage has been common between indigenous R otinese C hristians and migrant M uslims and their descendants in the Indonesian village of O elua on R oti I sland. M uslims have engaged with the customary institutions upheld by indigenous R otinese C hristians—namely, those associated with marriage proposals and bridewealth. They have also engaged in reciprocal inter‐household exchanges to raise the cash to pay for weddings and bridewealth, as well as for other life cycle events such as funeral feasts and gatherings in the post‐funeral mourning period. This article argues that intermarriage and inter‐household monetary exchanges are important, among other factors, in promoting low conflict relations between the two groups, primarily because of the regular opportunities generated to interact in both public and private spheres. Marriage preferences in O elua are changing, however, with young M uslim men preferring to marry women who subscribe to the same religion and similar customs. M uslim attitudes are also changing with respect to their involvement in inter‐household reciprocal exchanges, with many wanting to engage in different ways, or not at all. The article discusses what these changing attitudes and practices may mean for maintaining congenial inter‐group relations between C hristians and M uslims in the future.