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Vol. 5, No. 2, (October 2023-March 2024), pp. 175-186 175

Leadership Philosophy of Tau Samawa

Hendra Jaya1, Muh Hambali2, Nensy Setyaningrum3, Nur Wasilah4

1,2,4
Universitas Islam Neger Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Jl. Gajayana No. 50, Malang 65144, Indonesia
3
Al-Bukhori Intenastional University, Malaysia Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, 05200, Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

[email protected]

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history
This research aims to explore and construct leadership values
Received 29 December 2022 based on Tau Samawa culture. This research employed a
Revised 1 March 2023
Accepted 1 July 2023 literature review method. It is found that the current leadership
in in crisis. The results shows that Tau Samawa as local wisdom
has seven leadership philosophies as stated in the Musakara
Keywords Rea Minutes of the Samawa Traditional Institute. These are
Leadership philosophy;
Local wisdom;
Pamendi to Panyadu, mutual pedi', Saling Satingi, Saling
Tau Samawa Tulung, Saling Satotang, Saling Sayaman Ate, Adab Edab Boa
Ela, and Satemung. These leadership philosophies are very
much needed in building a human civilization that has a
national religious character, since they manifest in leadership
characters, namely religious, caring, sensitive, and most
importantly, these philosophies will create leaders who are able
to balance heart, mind, words, and actions.
This is an open access article under the CC-BY-SA license

1. Introduction
In an organization the role of a leader is very important to influence, direct, mobilize
and manage his subordinates [1]. It is impossible to achieve the vision and mission in an
organization if there is no figure who organizes and drives it. Competent, professional and
cultured leadership figures are needed in managing an organization or educational
institution [2].
Currently, we are witnessing a leadership crisis phenomenon [3]. In the government
space, narratives of leadership crisis and narratives of leader mismanagement have become
a symbol of national leadership failure [4]. Research conducted by Gasa et al. shows that
the government is considered not to have the characteristics of a crisis leader during a
pandemic, namely being responsive, implementing performance management (rewards and
consequences) and having good articulation in delivering communications [5]. Survey data
to 663 young people in 2022, from the Peneleh Research Institute and Peneleh Activists
shows that nationally, as much as 44% of young people did not like or did not want to
enter the political space.
The emergence of a narrative of national leadership failure and crisis occurred due to
the functionalist character of the country's leaders. The dichotomy of political and religious

doi.org/10.34199/ijracs.2023.10.09 http://ijracs.rumahpeneleh.or.id [email protected]

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values also means that leadership is no longer based on true truth, but on human desires
without any divine values [6].
In the educational space, there are still many leaders who are unable to manage their
institutions, and it is not uncommon for these institutions to be deactivated for various
reasons. In Indonesia, according to data released by detik.com, there are 243 campuses that
have been deactivated [7]. In Malang itself, for example, there are five secondary schools
that are no longer operating due to poor management. Sastramayani's research results show
that educational institutions have failed to respond to the changes that have occurred [8].
As a result of this inability to adapt, educational institutions are unable to rise to the top to
achieve educational goals.
Several of these phenomena have become a blow to both national leadership and
leadership in educational institutions. Currently, a leader is required not only to be ready to
rule but to be ready to lead in a complete manner (kaffah) [9]. The ability to lead wisely
must start from reflective work on history and efforts to restore noble values as a
leadership philosophy.
In Islam it is said that the main key to a leader's success lies in the leader's personality
because the leader's personality is a mirror for other people. This has been exemplified by
Rasulullah SAW who had a great and noble personality. Furthermore, a person's
personality is usually influenced by a paradigm or perspective. A dreamer must have a far-
sighted perspective. He must be able to understand each problem that will occur and then
be able to design constructive solutions to these problems. The ability to record and
understand the reality and characteristics or personality of the leader is greatly influenced
by the values and closeness of the leader to culture [10].
As a logical consequence, a leader must have or understand cultural values. The values
held by a person will influence and color daily behavior, including leadership style [11]. A
leader must have a distinctive personality or habit that differentiates him from other people
[12]. Personality or typical habits and values are closely influenced by the surrounding
environment [13]. For example, geographically, the character of people in eastern
Indonesia is different from people in Java, this also influences the leadership
characteristics of the two regions. In simple terms, local culture will influence a person's
leadership style and patterns. The author calls this a leadership style based on cultural
values.
Cultural values-based leadership is a leadership pattern that follows deeply rooted
local cultural values [14]. We often encounter Indonesian cultural leadership in Islamic
kingdoms in Indonesia, or the leadership of Islamic preachers in Indonesia. For example,
there were nine preachers (wali songo) who are famous on the island of Java. In preaching,
they not only spread Islam through cultural treasures, but their leadership characteristics
also combine Indonesian culture with Islamic values.
However, it is unfortunate that currently we see leadership styles and patterns based on
Indonesian values, especially local values, that are largely ignored and have been replaced
by the West. Just look at people who talk about management science and it is very
synonymous with the west and all its values. In fact, the archipelago itself has values
contained in its leadership philosophy. Sumbawa for example, this land has its own

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leadership philosophy. However, this philosophy is crumbling to dust and has faded in
time.
Sumbawa as part of the Nusantara archipelago is important to be studied in terms of its
leadership philosophy. This philosophy was born from the results of discussions between
leaders in Sumbawa. The unique thing about Tau Samawa is that in terms of values, they
are not only close to culture, but also to religious values. Leadership is no exception, to
know that when a Samawa leader is leading, this means he is ready to bring prosperity
(welfare and safety) to those he leads. Not only that, but this will lead also to Takik Ko
Nene (fearing Allah SWT) as stated in traditional minutes of Musakara Rea, Samawa. This
article will try to examine and explain the leadership philosophy of Tau Samawa. The
author also tries to construct and reinterpret the Tau Samawa leadership philosophy which
is being forgotten by even the Sumbawa people themselves.

2. Method
Library research or literature review was the method used in this research. The
literature review approach is a descriptive analysis research approach. The research data
collection is obtained from library data sources, or research results extracted through
various library information such as books, scientific journals, encyclopedias, newspapers
and documents. Then it is presented in the form of a descriptive research report [15]. In-
depth literature review research will be able to comprehensively present data on reality.
To ensure that the article is deep and far from reality, the researcher employed
reflexivity. Reflexivity is a researcher's attempt to express an opinion on what is being
researched [16]. Reflexivity can also be interpreted as the writer's attempt to generate
understanding of what is being written.

3. Results and Discussions

Tau and Tana Samawa. Tau in Sumbawa terms means people/society, while tana
itself means land/country. Tau and tana Samawa are terms in the Sumbawa language
which describe the existence and situation of the people and land of Sumbawa. Sumbawa
is one of the areas located in Bara Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The area which is currently led
by H. Muhamad Abdullah has a population of 457,617 people as stated in the national
statistics body (https://sumbawakab.bps.go.id/, 2019). The area located to the west of
Sumbawa Island is known as an island with abundant natural resources.
Sumbawa is an island located in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (see Figure 1). This
island has a long and rich history, covering various historical eras, such as prehistoric
times, imperial times, and colonial times. In prehistoric times, Sumbawa was inhabited by
people who lived by hunting, gathering and farming. Archaeological evidence shows that
Sumbawa was inhabited more than 10,000 years ago. In the 16th century, Sumbawa
became part of the Bima Sultanate, which at that time was the main power in West Nusa
Tenggara. However, in the 17th century, Sumbawa separated from the Bima Sultanate and
became an independent kingdom. In the 18th century, Sumbawa became the center of the
spice and ivory trade in West Nusa Tenggara. The Sumbawa Kingdom established trade

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relations with traders from Arabia, China and Europe, especially the Netherlands.
However, at the beginning of the 19th century, Sumbawa became the target of attacks from
neighboring kingdoms, such as Bali and Lombok.

Figure 1. Sumbawa Island

In 1830, Sumbawa became part of the Dutch East Indies and was made part of the Bali
and Lombok Residency. During the colonial period, Sumbawa experienced many changes,
such as infrastructure development, clearing of agricultural land, and development of the
mining industry. However, this development also has negative impacts, such as forest
removal and environmental damage.
After Indonesian independence in 1945, Sumbawa became part of the Unitary State of
the Republic of Indonesia. Since then, Sumbawa has continued to develop and experience
changes in various fields, such as economic, social and cultural. Today, Sumbawa is
known as one of the attractive tourist destinations in Indonesia, with beautiful beaches,
abundant natural resources and unique culture, one of which is the Samawa philosophy of
life and leadership. For example, this philosophy is contained in the Samawa tau tana
paradigm. There are at least four basic concepts of the value of Samawa tau tana: (1) adat
berenti lako syara’ ke sayara’ berenti lako kitabullah; (2) kerik salamat tau ke tana
Smawa; (3) takit ko Nene’ Kangila boat lenge; and (4) Santemung Pamendi ke Panyadu.
The basic view of the Samawa people is a modern and democratic religious view
(musakara Rea minutes). The rich culture and values of Sumbawa are unique things that
must be studied further.
Leadership philosophy of Tau Samawa. As a large country consisting of hundreds of
tribes, Indonesia is rich in cultural diversity. Each tribe is unique in terms of regional
language, customs, worldview, habits and philosophy of life. Philosophy as written by
Prof. Buya Hamka is a basic reference or value for someone in living their life to reach the
peak of truth. Philosophy in Islam is known as hikmah (wisdom). Mulawarman in the book
Paradigma Nusantara explains the meaning of hikmah which is defined as wisdom from
God so one possessing hikmah will possess wisdom or (kesaktian) spiritual power [17].
Hikmah is beyond rationality.
Mulawarman believes that hikmah is seeing reality differently from the perspective of
modern philosophy which approaches reality and knowledge only with the power of

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rational reason. Hikmah is used here as a differentiator in the definition of philosophy in

the West which separates the discourse on profane reality, free from the sacred. Hikmah,
like almost all Eastern views, especially those relating to the essence of things, is a
philosophical tradition that cannot separate itself from the sacred. The hikmah tradition or
Islamic philosophy, for example, has deep roots in the world view of Qur'anic revelation
and the Cosmos (universe), where prophecy or revelation is accepted as an ethical reality
and knowledge. The conception of aql/intellect is the unity of rationality and spirituality
[18].
In the leadership space, wisdom can be interpreted as a way of seeing and moving a
leader that is not only based on rational reason, but on the World of Revelation and the
Cosmos [19]. The ability to unite rationality with spirituality. All of this is born from the
process of individual interaction with culture [20].
We know big figures like HOS. Tjokroaminoto (Sarekat Islam), KH. Hasyim As'ari
(Nadhlatul Ulama) and KH. Ahmad Dahlan (Muhammadiyah) with typical Indonesian
leadership characteristics who have high values and alignments that are timeless [17],
however, the charismatic figure of this Nusantara archipelago figure is now only a story of
the times. The leadership crisis resulting from call historical amnesia is true today [21].
Current leaders are only oriented towards material things and rational thinking. It is rare to
find a leader who is able to combine rationality and spirituality.
In the midst of the current leadership crisis, Indonesian people must return to noble
values [22]. One of these noble values is constructed in the Musakara Rea Traditional
institution of Tana Samawa. Musakara Rea is a meeting place for traditional leaders and
community leaders in Samawa to formulate Sumbawa values. The results of Musakara Rea
are contained in the Musakara Rea LATS Treatise or Minutes of Muskara Rea Traditional
Tana Samawa. Samawa, as previously explained, has a noble philosophy that has high
meaning. This philosophy was also born in leadership spaces. There are seven leadership
philosophies, namely Samawa Pamendi to Panyadu, mutual pedi', Saling Satingi, Saling
Tulung, Saling Satotang, Saling Sayaman Ate, and Adab Edab Boa Ela. These seven
philosophies are the result of Musakara Rea, the Samawa Traditional Institution.
Satemung Pamendi ke Panyadu. Throughout human history, leadership processes
with various forms have taken place in society. Leadership as a process of influence
carried out by leaders on the people they lead to achieve common goals as a community or
group of people takes place in such a way that is based on the values of customs owned by
the community or society concerned. Satemung pamendi ke panyadu is one of the values
that underlies leadership in the Samawa tradition. The value of pamendi comes from
Bismillahirrahmaanirrahim which contains the sacred meaning of Allah SWT, namely a
feeling of love and affection that is active, sincere and sincere; while panyadu means a
feeling of trust or belief that is sincere and full of hope. Pamendi as a leadership quality
inherent in a leader towards the people he leads will be actively be realized so that the
people he leads are protected in the broadest sense.
With pamendi, people will be protected from various stigmas - negative life
conditions. With pamendi, the people will prosper physically and mentally, achieve peace
and tranquility, prosper in justice and justice in prosperity, have their needs met, and
provide a sense of security for the souls of their families and their property.

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Panyadu is a spiritual atmosphere that influences the outward behavior of the people
led (the people) who give sincere and sincere trust to the figure of the leader (king or
sultan) as well as being the source of all hope for life and life. Hence, satemung pamendi
kepanyadu (trust and empathy) are leadership qualities that are very dynamic and
complementary and very democratic in nature. In governance, the elders remind all leaders
at various levels to treat the people they lead well and wisely.
Satemung pamendi ke panyadu means that the leader who holds power is likened to a
mangkar (stick); Power should not be used carelessly - it should not be used arbitrarily to
oppress the people they lead, but it should be used with full wisdom (hikmah), which is
motivating, encouraging, evocative, supportive and moving. Satemung pamendi ke
panyadu also means that a leader must have the ability to combine reality with belief. So
that every solution that is born cannot be separated from religious values (panyadu).
Saling Pedi’. This means has the meaning of a soul full of peace based on affection.
Saling pedi in Islam is known as mahabbah which means clear and clean. For Samawa,
leading means giving love and affection sincerely to everyone. Saling Pedi' has the
meaning of peace filled with love and affection. The concept of mutual pedi' is to see
everyone as brothers. In Islam, a leader is commanded to be gentle (QS Al-Syu’ara’ [56]:
215).
The journey of preaching is not always smooth. There were many obstacles, including
defection from followers. Mutual respect is not only to maintain the existence of a leader,
but on the other hand, it is also to ensure that followers (the people being led) always feel
comfortable when being led. Mutual care also means caring for other people. A leader who
cares about the people is a leader who prioritizes the welfare and interests of his people
above his personal or group interests. Leaders like this tend to have a far-sighted vision and
a strategy that focuses on overcoming the problems faced by their people. Some of the
characteristics of a leader who cares about the people include listening to the people's
aspirations, providing concrete solutions [23], being open and transparent, prioritizing the
welfare of the people, and having high integrity. A leader who cares about the people is a
leader who has a strong commitment to serving his people and fighting for their interests.
They always try to find the best solution to overcome the problems faced by their people
and prioritize the welfare of the people above their personal or group interests.
Saling Satingi. In the political space, one another often tries to attack and unite each
other. So, in the Tau Samawa leadership philosophy, the spirit of a leader always elevates
other people (compares each other), not bringing them down as in our leadership concept.
Satisfying each other also means that a leader must have the ability to uphold all followers
and their beliefs (panyudu).
Saling Tulung which means helping each other. In Islam helping each other is our
nature. Helping is an important thing in Islam, this is indicated by the mention of the word
helping (ta'awun) several times in the Qur'an, including 5:2, 8:27, 18:19, 3:110, and also in
several other verses. Leading means being able to embrace all those who are led. Because
of the importance of helping each other, in the Samawa leadership philosophy, helping
each other is a must. This means that a leader must not only be an organizer, but on the one
hand, he must be able to be a sibling or parent figure who is always there in all situations
[24]. This means that the task of a leader is very complex, he is not only required to have

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the ability as a manager but also to be a companion who dedicates himself to those he
leads.
Saling Satotang. In the Qur'an Surah al-Asr, one of the groups who do not lose is that
they always use the time to remind each other to be kind and patient. Mutual Satotang has
the meaning of reminding each other. The concept of leadership for the Samawa people is
not just power and throne, but on the one hand, leadership means efforts to always spread
usefulness and goodness. For Samawa, there is no concept of leadership that has a
materialistic orientation, but generosity based on brotherhood.
Saling Sanyaman Ate. Mutual Sanyaman Ate means that a leader's job is to provide
inner and outer calm to those he leads. Under any circumstances, for Tau Samawa, a leader
must try to provide good news to the people he leads. Even with the rapid development of
information technology, the flow of information, whether true or hoax, spreads freely. On
the other hand, a leader must be able to straighten out all the information circulating to
provide calm to those he leads.
Adab Edap Boa Ela. Tau Samawa considers a leader to be uswah in thoughts, words
and actions. For this reason, a leader must be able to balance the three. Being able to think
correctly, speak the right words and continue to take concrete actions, this is what Tau
Samawa calls adab edap boat ela. Leadership does not mean making promises to maintain
existence, but leading means making efforts in the form of concrete, constructive
movements. In general, adap edap boa ola is interpreted as manners in speaking. This
means that a leader must guard every sentence he utters, lest it hurt one party, as written in
the Musakara Rea Treatise. For us, maintaining kalam is not just thinking about the
sentences that are issued, as at the beginning, the author interprets it as a continuity
between heart, mind, words and actions. In summary the seven philosophy is shown in
Table 1.
Reflection of Tau Samawa Leadership from Time to Time. In addition, the seven
leadership values are also contained in Pasatotang Adat. In the past, the oath that was said
in front of the people was not only for the king but also for the government positions under
the king. Those positions should not be passed down from generation to generation, but
depend on who is able to carry the position. The king is sworn in by Juru Palasan (Dipati)
and the office under the king is sworn in by Ran. Here is the sound of the oath:

“Lamin no adil mu parenta rayat, mu entek ko olat bau kau bele. Mu tama ko ai
bau kau balo (telan). Lamin mu jempung mu bosok. Lamin mu sonap mu pongong.
Ya’ mo pupu soro kau. Ya’ mo teming tampo kau ling umak. Laknat kau ling
Karoan telu pulu jis”.
Transliteration by Head of MUI Sumbawa 2018-2023, the result of the author's direct
interview with Mr. Syukri Rahmat:

"If you are not fair in ruling the people. You will be eaten by snakes. If you go
into the water, you will be attacked by crocodiles. If you jump or try to dodge then
you will also be damaged. If you try to sneak in, your back will swell. If you are
cunning or dishonest in your behavior then you will lose a lot of things. If you try
to build a fort from the ground, it will surely be blown away by the waves. You
too will eventually be cursed the 30 juz Al Qur'an”

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Table 1. Leadership Philosophy of Tau Samawa

Philosophy Meaning Leadership consequence

Samawa Pamendi Bringing Feelings and Trust Leading must not only be rational,
ke Panyadu Together. but must also be balanced with
strong spirituality.
Saling pedi’ Have mercy on each other. Leading means being willing to give
love and affection to all without
discrimination.

Saling Satingi Lifting each other up Leading means being willing to

elevate the status of whoever is being
led, with wisdom and justice.
Saling Tulung Helping each other Leading means being ready to help
all groups in truth and goodness.
Saling Satotang Reminding each other Leading is not only commanding, but
is always a reminder of obedience for
others (those who are being led).

Saling Sayaman Ate Taking care of each other’s Providing peace and tranquility of
hearts soul for those led.

Adab Edab Boa Ela Maintaining manners and Act and speak politely
words

This oath is pronounced by the swearer by replacing the words "YOU" with "I". The
word in the sentence shows the equality of the people with their leaders, without setting
aside the worldly reality to lead to a better afterlife. At that time, snakes and crocodiles
filled the forests and small estuaries in Sumbawa, which of course humans were very easy
to fall prey to if they were simply thrown. In the government of tau samawa there is a law
called rappang. Rappang is different from custom. Rappang in tau samawa government
refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet and Al Quran while adat is a custom that is considered
good according to the time but does not contradict rappang. Every tau samawa should be
able to feel that he is a supervisor over himself in carrying out the orders of the leader or
the king, without wanting to deceive himself.
If this traditional value can be applied to development in the present, then this value
will certainly become a spirit of faith that will strengthen the path of the government's trust
towards its people as a form of trust from God that will be held directly accountable. In the
course of history, the Sumbawa Sultanate's government structure has always been carried
out with the principle of a three-stranded rope between Datu Ranga as Mangkubumi or
Head of the Council of Ministers, who holds the State, Judge Department, and Kitabullah
Law Department. These last two positions are different from each other, because judges

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are appointed by anyone according to their ability, while the position of Law of Kitabullah
does not decide matters but develops customs to be in accordance with Kitabullah. While
the king is the supreme wisdom taker only gives decisions based on the real conditions of
the people from the agreement and consensus of Mamanca Lima, Lelurah Pitu together
with the Council of Ministers. The king has no chance to do as he pleases. This is of course
very different in today's time where the role of leader is often easily overridden by the
party for the sake of achieving electoral interests and undermining the rights of the people.
That is the tau samawa tradition that is strengthened to uphold Rappang Tana Samawa.
Currently, customs and government departments seem to have no restrictions. Overlapping
roles in the government actually makes the people become pacifist.
It should not be known that Samawa is desperately fighting for himself to become the
highest leader, because of a sense of ilaq. This sense of ilaq is very thick gathered in the
basic nature of the Sumbawa people which is impressive because it seems that samawa are
people who do not want to take advantage of opportunities. In the writings of Zulkarnain
Aris (2008:34) tau samawa has four conditions namely: (1) Suru-Lalo. Suru means order or
command, Lalo means go or execute. In suru leadership it can be in the form of giving
tasks from the leader to subordinates, orders from the Sultan to his people, orders from
parents to their children, where the order is from the leader then the party who receives this
order must immediately be ready to carry out his duties; (2) Kelek-Datang, which means
calling, Calling means coming to meet the leader to get a task or advice. Kelek can be
interpreted as a command call to come to see the leader. Coming is the attitude or
obligation of the person being led to obey and come to meet the leader in accepting tasks
or instructions; (3) Eneng-Beang; which means a command in the form of a request from
the people to the leader. Beang is an order to the people to give the leader what he asks for
or an attitude of obedience to the leader by carrying out orders; (4) Beang-Tangko: beang
means a gift from the leader to the people, and the people as the party who is given must
immediately accept the gift or advice or order. In the language of leadership this is called
pamendi.
There are four conditions in Samawa culture that bind the people, leaders and fellow
citizens. In this context, there seems to be attachment and obedience based on love and
affection between the leader and the led, according to the principle of human caliphate on
this earth. Therefore, all orders and orders of the king will always be preceded by mention:
“Kasuka Dewa Masmawa serta Tana Samawa” because responsibility for national
security with the people is a burden of trust on the shoulders of leaders.
In the book Kepeminpinan dalam Adat dan Rappang Tana Samawa, Zulkarnain Aries
wrote that there are 16 requirements for a leader that must be met when entering the
government of tau samawa [25]: Common sense; Be knowledgeable in order to have a rich
point of view and be mature in deciding matters; Being able to control anger; No physical
disability; Good at reading and practicing Al Quran Hadith; Healthy physically and
spiritually; Politeness in speech and actions; Have a commendable character; Be firm
mainly in defending the oppressed; Loving his people; Forgive family mistakes except
those related to law and syara'; Orderly giving orders and work (on time, right on target,
and right on quality); Learn a lot from history and stories; Emulating the behavior of a just

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king and above all to Rasulullah; Examine and weigh all decisions well; and not negligent
in worldly work but also must be strong in matters of the hereafter.
A Tau Samawa from an early age has instilled the attitude of toq basa or politeness in
children and families so that people who do not know toq basa or do not know the rules are
not called tau samawa. From those sixteen traits, we can know that not only cultural
customs values are protected, but also descendants in the present are successfully protected
by the government in tana samawa.
The evidence of Islam in Tau Samawa Life Philosophy. According to archeological
evidence, Islam entered Sumbawa long before the Information of Utan Kadali (Wathan) in
1623. The truth and glory of Islam was quickly accepted because it did not influence
Hinduism and Buddhism too much on this island. Immigrants since the 7th century are
merchants who are missionaries who spread far to the corners of Sumbawa. This can be
seen in the tau samawa treatment method, starting from determining the ingredients to how
to mix the medicine cannot be separated from the principle of who treats, who is treated,
what is treated, with whom to treat, all of which have a sufistic nuance. It means that the
shaman's position realizes that he is only an intermediary while the healer is only God.
Taking medicine begins with sholawat, ingredient 44, which is the pillar of Islam + the
pillar of faith + the 13th pillar (salat) and of course begins with basmalah, which God
willing will be effective.
If we take a closer look at each element such as language, economic system,
technology system, social organization, knowledge system, and art and religion, it will
become increasingly clear that the characteristics of Samawa culture breathes Islam. This
is of course important to study at the end of this research discussion because it is an
absolute condition that the value of tau Samawa leadership can also be implemented
universally as a blessing for the world.
In the Language System, the Sumbawa language obtains a lot of influence from the
Malay and Arabic languages. There is even a saying "leaving a motorcycle on the side of
the road with the key for days in Sumbawa, God willing it won't be stolen by tau samawa".
In the Technology System, the ceremonial system of starting work and planting seeds that
protect generations is a philosophical expression of Islam that strives to achieve well-being
for humans and the nature of Sumbawa. Social Organization System, Balong boat, Balong
can, in the structure of Samawa society, has no level division between nobles and ordinary
people. Everyone is the same, the only difference is faith and piety as Islam teaches. A
good King is worshipped, while an Oppressor King is contradicted, firmly rooted in the
principle of tau samawa. In fact, tolerance is kept very high, for example for followers of
the accounting system, they are willing to "bend" or postpone fasting for a day just for the
sake of Eid prayer together. In the Knowledge System, tau samawa has more mastery of
the falaq qamariah science system compared to syamsiah. The procedure for determining
the direction of the house, the procedure for felling trees, all of which have Islamic
nuances, with the intention of not wanting to damage nature. Cutting down trees must face
the Qibla, must have seeds first before cutting down, and various other nature conservation
rituals. In the Art System, Sumbawa fine art expression does not highlight the motif of
creatures because it is forbidden in Islam. In the art of music that is brought to life like
ratib and zapin. Sumbawa's poems through the ages, the language is very high and they all

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International Journal of Religious and Cultural Studies ISSN 2656-694x
Vol. 5. No. 2 (October 2023-March 2024), pp. 175-186 185

have a philosophical meaning. Adat Baarenti Ko Syara', Syara' Baarenti Ko Kitabullah, is

an absolute standard in the life of tau samawa. This means that there can be no conflict
between custom and religion. Just as leadership principles cannot conflict with religious
teachings.

4. Conclusion
The value of Tau Samawa leadership in Sumbawa customs and culture is not only
seen from the aspect of rationality and power, but also seen from the aspect of spirituality,
wisdom, love, and the well-being of the people. Tau Samawa's philosophy shows that a
leader must have a balance between wisdom in decision-making and concern for the well-
being of the people.
In the leadership values of Tau Samawa, there are concepts such as Satemung
Pamendi ke Panyadu (meeting feelings and beliefs), Saling Pedi' (merciful to each other),
Saling Satingi (raising each other), Saling Tulung (helping each other), Saling Satotang
(reminding each other), Saling Sayaman Ate (giving calmness), and Adab Adab Boa Ela
(keeping manners and words). These concepts reflect the close relationship between
leaders and people, where leadership is not only about power, but also about service, love,
and justice.
In addition, the reflection of Tau Samawa's leadership values over time shows that
Sumbawa customs and culture have a strong philosophical foundation in forming leaders
who are responsible and committed to the interests of the people. In its history, leadership
in Sumbawa is colored by values such as suru-lalo, kelek-datang, eneng-beang, and
beang-tangko, which show the attachment and obedience between the leader and the led.
Although these values have strong roots in Sumbawa culture, challenges in the
context of modernization and globalization require adaptation and expansion so that these
values remain relevant and can be implemented in the increasingly complex order of
society. Defending and developing the values of traditional leadership while still
accommodating the changing times is a challenge that needs to be overcome so that the
continuity of Sumbawa's culture and noble values remain awake.

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