MODEL PERAN OPINION LEADER : STUDI PERGESERAN KOMUNIKASI BUDAYA MARINYO ETNIS AMBON = OPINION LEADER ROLE MODEL: A STUDY OF THE SHIFT IN CULTURAL COMMUNICATION OF MARINYO ETHNIC AMBON

Penelitian ini mengkaji transformasi peran Marinyo, institusi komunikasi tradisional dalam masyarakat adat Ambon, sebagai opinion leader di tengah arus globalisasi dan era digital. Latar belakang studi ini berangkat dari kekhawatiran akan tergerusnya nilai-nilai budaya lokal akibat dominasi media digital dan perubahan pola komunikasi masyarakat. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah mengeksplorasi bagaimana Marinyo mempertahankan legitimasi, peran sosial, serta strategi adaptasinya sebagai penyampai pesan adat dalam konteks hibridisasi komunikasi. Dengan menggunakan Metode Penelitian pendekatan etnografi komunikasi, penelitian dilakukan di enam negeri adat di Pulau Ambon melalui observasi partisipatif dan wawancara mendalam. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Marinyo tetap memainkan peran vital sebagai jembatan komunikasi antara pemimpin adat dan masyarakat, dengan legitimasi yang berasal dari institusi adat, pengetahuan budaya, dan pengakuan sosial. Tiga model adaptasi ditemukan: resistif-selektif, hibrid-komplementer, dan transformatif-integratif. Hibridisasi ini mengindikasikan bahwa Marinyo mampu menggabungkan elemen tradisional dengan teknologi digital tanpa kehilangan esensi kulturalnya. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa Marinyo bukan hanya penyampai pesan, melainkan institusi sosial dinamis yang memegang fungsi strategis dalam menjaga identitas kultural, membangun kohesi sosial, serta beradaptasi dengan lanskap informasi digital yang terus berkembang. This research examines the transformation of the Marinyo role, a traditional communication institution in Ambonese indigenous communities, as an opinion leader amid globalization and the digital era. The background of this study stems from concerns about the erosion of local cultural values due to the dominance of digital media and changing communication patterns within the community. The main objective of this research is to explore how Marinyo maintains its legitimacy, social role, and adaptation strategies as a conveyor of indigenous messages in the context of communication hybridization. Employing a communication ethnography approach as the Research Method, the study was conducted in six indigenous villages on Ambon Island through participatory observation and in-depth interviews. The research findings demonstrate that Marinyo continues to play a vital role as a communication bridge between indigenous leaders and the community, with legitimacy derived from traditional institutions, cultural knowledge, and social recognition. Three adaptation models were identified: resistive-selective, hybrid-complementary, and transformative-integrative. This hybridization indicates that Marinyo has successfully integrated traditional elements with digital technology without losing its cultural essence. The conclusion of this research affirms that Marinyo is not merely a messenger but a dynamic social institution that maintains strategic functions in preserving cultural identity, building social cohesion, and adapting to the evolving digital information landscape.