ABSTRACT
Tradition always belongs to its society. It is different in every society. One tradition which is still maintained is female circumcision. There is one literature which represents this tradition is Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy. This novel shows the description of Olinka tradition and the effects of female circumcision. The effects are illness and death. Moreover, there is a meeting between American culture and African culture which makes someone experienced hybridity condition. This condition creates someone experience identity crisis. Therefore, the tribal tradition reveals one’s identity crisis.
In the first problem formulation, this research describes the tribal tradition and the female circumcision in the novel. Setting and character and characterization theories are used to analyse the description of the tradition.In the second problem formulation, the researcher uses postcolonial theory and identity and identity crisis to analyse the way the tribal tradition and the female circumcision reveal Tashi’s identity crisis. In postcolonial theory, there are two division theories: hybridity and hegemony. Hybridity theory is used to see the interference in the novel. Then, hegemony theory is used because there is a hegemony issue in the novel.
The researcher uses a library research method. This method is consisted of some steps. The steps are close reading, read and collect theories and supportive data from books, journals, internet sites, thesis or other resources. After that, the researcher analyses the intrinsic element of the novel using character and setting. By postcolonial approach, the researcher uses postcolonial theory to elaborate the work and the supporting data. The last, the researcher make a conclusion of the analysis.
The finding of the research is that female circumcision tradition is a harmful tradition. In the eyes of Olinkans, the female circumcision is a symbol of an African. Meanwhile, in Christian point of view, the female circumcision is seen as a kind of barbaric tradition. Then, the researcher finds the way the Olinkan tradition and the female circumcision reveal Tashi’s identity crisis by unfortunate childhood memory, hibridity condition and ambivalence of Tashi.
