pengancing

Pengancing is a term used in some ethnographic and literary contexts to describe a formal process by which two people are pledged for marriage through a public or semi-public engagement. The word is hypothesized to be derived from a root meaning to seek or lure, with a prefix that designates an agent or action, suggesting a deliberate act of arranging a partnership. In traditional practice, pengancing often involves negotiation between families or communities, a proposal ritual, and a betrothal ceremony that signals commitment.

The precise steps of pengancing vary across cultures and settings. In many versions, the process includes family consultation, the consent of the couple, and a ceremonial exchange that may be accompanied by dowry considerations, gift exchanges, or the establishment of shared obligations. Some communities place emphasis on clan or religious authority, while others treat pengancing as a primarily social contract without formal legal standing. The engagement period can be fixed or contingent on achieving certain milestones or rites.

In contemporary discourse, pengancing appears in academic discussions of traditional marriage systems and in fiction or regional literature as a stylized representation of betrothal. Critics of pengancing may view it as reinforcing social pressure or limiting personal choice, whereas supporters argue that it provides a structured framework for commitment, family involvement, and clear expectations about future union. See also: betrothal, engagement, arranged marriage, marriage customs.