Cultural Traditions in Death Ritual Within the Community of Pidie, Aceh, Indonesia

This study was conducted to look into the cultural and religious acculturation in the rituals of death in Aceh. It aims to examine the concepts of Sufism related to these traditions. This research is a field research and its data was obtained through meticulous observation of the ritual action and in-depth discussion with the main protagonists of the ritual performance. The results of the research shows that the rituals following a death in Aceh still bear traces of their pre-Islamic legacy, which has been acculturated with the teachings of Islam, so it does not break the rules of Islam. In these rituals for death, the pre-Islamic elements, which conflict with the Islamic creed, have been replaced with prayers, which are recommended in Islam. This acculturation is beneficial to both sides, in one hand the Acehnese people may continue to implement their inherited cultures, while Islam can thrive without having any contradictions within the local cultures on the other.