Investigating the Significance of “Tema” in Contemporary Society

A Qualitative Analysis Using M-GTA

Abstract

This study investigates why people deliberately engage in “Tema” despite increasing societal emphasis on efficiency. Through interviews with five participants and qualitative analysis using the Modified Grounded Theory Approach (M-GTA), the study identified three interrelated categories: ontological, epistemological, and axiological. These categories form a cyclical structure, revealing that “Tema” is not merely inefficient labour, but a meaningful practice through which individuals reaffirm their sense of existence, identity, and intellectual engagement in contemporary life.