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Semiotics Analysis Of Rumah Adat Bolon Batak Toba
Wenny A. Hutahaean
abstract
Semiotics Culture is the entire way of life for a group of people ( including both material
and symbolic elements ). It has been existed since long time ago. Rumah bolon is one of
Toba Batak culture in Samosir Island, North Sumatra .Rumah bolon very important to
conserve and value preserve it beauty of culture which is drawn in symbols decorated in
Rumah Bolon. This is a descriptive qualitative research done by observation, interviews
some elders, and alsa by doing library research . Every symbols of rumah bolon Toba
Batak has symbols different meaning. There are 19 symbols found in Rumah Bolon and
analyzed by Dyadic and Triadic sign . The symbol of Hoda-hoda meanings the greatness,
Boraspati meanings blessing and wealth, Sijonggi meanings virility, Adep- adep and
meanings ferility and wealth, Desa Na Ualu meanings strength, Mata Niari meanings
strength, Hariara Sondung meanings blessed, Silitong meanings powerful,
Simarogung- ogung meanings glory and prosperity, Simeol- meol meanings joy and
beauty, Dalihan Natolu meanings respectful, Ipon- ipon meanings beauty enhancer,
Iran- iran meanings beautiful and wise, Sitogan meanings attitude, Sitompi and
meaning is love, Ulung Paung meanings strength, Singa- singa meanings justice and
truth, Gajah Dompak meanings truth, Jengger meanings rejection and safety.all this
symbols are realeted a Culture of rumah adat Bolon Batak Toba and the social life in
Bataknese ethnic society
.
Keywords : Semiotics Culture, Rumah bolon
1. Introduction
Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complete system
communication and language is any specific example of such a system. Language is a
patterned systems of arbitrary sound signals, characteristed by structured dependence,
creativity, displacement, duality, and cultural transmission. In human language, the
symbols are most arbitrary, and the systems has to be paintstakingly transmitted from one
generation to another. Linguistics is a scientific study of language.
Besides communication with language, humans can communicate with symbols
and signs. Words are linguistic sign, similar in certsin respects to natural and
conventioanl signs. Words ‘have meanings’ but rather are capable of conveying meanings
to those who can perceive, identify, and interpret. Words go together to form sentences
which in turn are capable of conveying meaning, the meanings of the individual words
and the meaning that comes from the relation of these words to one other.
In communication, the people mostly use a mouth to produce a sound unless for a
unperfect man that is communicative by body language.
Painting picture always as a form of communication, a symbol which is directed
to other people. Why does it called as a picture , even it contains with message or
communities something which is not written. Sometimes studying English need to see
pictures the scientists believe that writing comes from pictures.
Symbols are signs where the relation between signifier and signified is purely
conventional and culturally specific most words. Everyone often communicates by very
using sign or symbols. Symbol can not be separated from human life, it is important
because it has many profit in human social life. Umberto Eco ( 1984 : 132 ) states that
signs and symbols are messages, people often communicate by using sign.
In Batak culture, it was founded so many symbols and the meaning especially in
Tobanese Batak Culture. The one of rumah adat bolon, rumah bolon is a traditioanal
Toba Batak house. Rumah bolon is symbol of identfy of Batak people who live in North
Sumatra. In rumah bolon many symbol have meanings differential. Some people have
problems to understand a symbols or sign as found in rumah bolon.
In this thesis, the writer is eager to analyze realize rumah bolon symbols and its
meaning in rumah bolon. In rumah bolon, there are a few symbols with different
meanings. The writer is interested to analyze rumah adat bolon Batak Toba symbols,
because they have separate meanings.
By considering many things that can be analyzed through semiotics, the writer
will specify analysis especially rumah bolon symbols. It takes some of symbols rumah
bolon from internet and Library. The writer analyzes symbols of rumah bolon because
she wants to know the meaning symbols in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba
The objective of the analysis are as follow :
1. To find out symbols and the meaning in rumah bolon.
2. To find out The realization of meaning of symbol.
This research is intended to describe the meaning of semiotics and the meaning of
rumah bolon symbols in rumah bolon. Result of from it is research, there must be some
significances :
1. to mention one of the culture as found in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba
2. to enrich students cultural knowledge by learning the meaning symbols of
rumah bolon.
3. Another study of perspective in Semiotics. Study
4. For futher research to how know to do research semiotics.
Semiotics
In general, semiotics is usually defined as a general philosophical theory dealing
with the production of signs and symbols as part of code systems which are used to
communicate information. Semiotics includes visual and verbal as well as tactile and
olfactory signs ( all signs or signals which are accessible to and cab be perceived by all
our sense ) as they from code systems which systematically communicate information or
messages in literary every of human behavior and enterpise.
The Meaning of the Semiotics
Morris ( 1972 ) : ”Semiotics is science about sign, and for human and
animals,related with a spesial language or not, containing truth substance or mistake,
according to or inappropriate, having the character of fair or not.
According to Saussure (in Gordan Senosson,in trasti). One of its reputed
initiators,semiotics was to study the life of sign in society”, and at second mythical
founding-father, Charles Sender Pierce, as well as his forerunner Jhon Locke, convinced
of semiotics as being the doctrine of sign. Letter in life,however,pierce comes to prefer
the wider term ”meditation” as a description of the subject matter of semiotics. In
semiotics theories Lamke defines semiotics as the theory of the production and
interpretation of meaning.
Doyle in Malmkjaer’s linguistic enyclopedia (1991:257) says, semiotics allows
us to study the technical systems of communication using non linguistics signals ; to
study the technical systems of communication using non linguistics signals;to study
social communication and also can be used to study sign in the arts and in the litarature.
Within the 16 discussion, semiotics is viewed as the study of signs and the ways in which
sign systems convey (and are used to convey) meaning.
Seitter in Greag’s book (1985:7) uses to joke that semiotics tells us thing we
already know in a language we will never understand. Seitter explain further that
semiotics first asks how meaning in created, rather than what the meaning is. Many
semiotics try to define their”semiotics : based on the two founders of semiotics : Pierce
(1839-1914) an American philosopher and a Swiss linguist, Sousure (1857-1913).
Eco (1985:28) defines semiotics as a discipline concern with everything that can
be taken as a sign. A sign, he argues, is everything which can be taken as significantly
substituting for something else.
Since semiotics is interested in finding rules and regularities, it types to describe
these phenomena as generic function in some kind of system. But it must be admitted that
these generic function are modified by the context in which they appear. Therefore,
semiotics is not only called upon to describe similarities and dissimilarities between
diffrent ways of conveying signification. But equally the different ways in which several
system of signification collaborate at the transmission of meaning (spoken and written
language, gestures and facial expression during a chat or as part of theater representation
or a film ; that which may conveying by new media such as the computer,etc). In contras
to the abstract approach characterizing earlier semiotics culture books at similarities and
convergences between different system of signification in historical exiting cultures.
Clark ( 1994:2 ) states that the exchange of messages between and among human
being is known as communication. It means that nonverbal communication : facial
expressions, gestures, postures, body movement, attire, grooming-contribute greatly to
the mea ning of message. But we must remember that cultural and environmental
differences often determine how this non verbal message wiil be interpreted. According
to Alder ( 1983 ) there are five factors that cause us to interpreted an event namely :
1. Past Experience.
What meaning have similiar events held? If for instance, we’ve been gouged by
landlords. In the past, we might be skeptical about an apartment manager careful
house keeping will assure the Ref und of our cleaning deposit.
2. Assumption About Human Behavior.
A people do as little work as possible, ”in spite of their mistakes,people generally
do the best they can”. Belief like these shape the way we interpret another action,
assurance that
3. Expectation.
Anticipation shapes interpretation if we imagine our boss is unhappy with us,
we’ll probably fell threatened by a request to see me in my office Monday
morning. On the other hand if we imagine that our work will be rewarded, our
weekend will be filled with pleasant anticipation of a reward from the boss.
4. Knowledge.
If we know a friend has just been jilted by a lover or fired from a job, we’ll
interpret his behavior differently than if we were unaware of what happened. If
we know an instructor is rude to all students, then we won’t be likely to take such
remark personally.
5. Personal Moods.
When we are feeling in secure the world is a diffrent place than when we are
confident. The same goes for happiness and sadness or any other opposing
emotions. The way we feel determines how we’ll interpret events.
So it is acceptable if we want to use gestures as a means of communication.
Nonverbal communication ; facial expression, ges, posture, body movements,etc. need
our ability, as users to identify and find out what is happening. We must be able to
recognize it, verbalize it.In this case, gestures addres the imagination and the sense
instead of addresing the mind.
Current Application of Semiotics
Application of semiotics include : methdology, the analysis of text, ergonomic
design, literary criticism, appreciation of audio and visual media and semiotics method.
It represent a methodology the analyis of texts regardless of the medium in which
it is presented. For these purposes, ”text” is any message preserved in a form whose
existence is independent of both sender and receiver.
It can improve ergonomic design in situations where it is important to ensure that
human beings can interact more effectively with their environments, whether it be on
large scale, as inarchitecture, or on small scale,such as the configuration of
instrumentation for human use.
In some countries, its role is limited to literary criticism and appreciation of audio
and visual media, but this narrow focus can inhibit a more general study of the social and
political forces shaping how different media are used and their dynamic status within
modern culture. Issues of techonological determinism in the choice of media and the
design of communication strategies assume new importance in this age of mass media.
The use of semiotics methods to reveal different levels of meaning and
sometimes, hidden motivations has led Yale’s Harold Bloom todemonise elements of the
subject as Marxist, Nihilist, ( critical discourses in Postmodernism and deconstruction in
Post-structuralism ).
Publication of research is both in dedicated journals such as Sign Systems
Studies, established by Juri Lotman and published by Tartu University Press:Semiotica,
founded by Thomas A. Sebeok and published by Mouton De Gruyter : Zeitschrift fur
Semiotik ; European Journal of Semiotics; Versus (founded and directed by Umberto Eco
), et al ; The American Journal of Semiotics ; and as articles accepted in periodicals of
other disciplines, especially journals oriented toward philoshopy and cultural criticism.
The major semiotics book series ”Semiotics, Communication, Cognition”,
published by De Gruyter Mouten ( series editors Paul Cobley and Kalevi Kull ) replace
former “Approaches to Semiotics” ( over 120 volumes ) and “Approaches to Applied
Semiotics” ( series editor Thomas A.Sebeok ). Since 1980 the Semiotic Society of
America has produced an annual conference series : Semiotic Society of America.
The Branches of Semiotics
Semiotics has sprouted a number of subfields, the branches of semiotics including
: biosemetics, cognitive semiotics, computational semiotics, cultural and literary
semiotics, design semiotics or product semiotics, music semiology, organisational
semiotics, and social semiotics.
Biosemetics is the study of semiotic processes at all levels of biology, or a
semiotic study of living systems.
Cognitive Semiotics is the study of meaning-making by employing and
integrating methods and theories developed in the cognitive sciences. This involves
conceptual and textual analyis as well as experimental investigations. Cognitive semiotics
was initially developed at the Center for Semiotics.
Computational semiotics attempts to engineer the process of semiosis, say in the
study of and design for Human-Computer Interaction or to mimic aspects of human
cognition through artificial intelligence and knowledge representation. Cultural and
literary semiotics examines the literary world, the visual media, the mass media, and
advertising in the work of writers such as Roland Barthes, Marcel Danesi, and Juri
Lotman ( e.g., Tartu-Moscow Semiotic School ).
Design Semiotics or Product Semiotics is the study of the use of sign in the
design of physical products. Introduced by Rune Mono while teaching Industrial Design
at the Institute of Design, Umea University, Sweden. Law and Semiotics. One of the
more accomplished publications in this field is the International Journal for the Semiotics
of Law .In Music semiology ” There are strong arguments that music inhabits a
semiological realm which, on both ontogenetic and phylogenetic levels, has
developmental priority over verbal language. ’( Middleton 1990: 172 .
Organisational semiotics is the study of semiotics processes in organizations. (
with strong ties to Computational semiotics and Human-Computer ). Social semiotics
expands the interpretable landscape to include all cultural codes, such as in slang, fashion,
and advertising. See the work of Roland Barthes, Michael Halliday, Bob Hodge, and
Christian Metz.
Pictoral Semiotics
Pictoral Semiotics is intimately connected to art history and theory. It has gone
beyond them both in at least one fundamental way, however. While art history has limited
its visual analysis to a small number of pictures which qualify as “pictoral semiotics has
focused on the porperties of pictures more generally. This break from traditional art
history and theory as well as from other major streams of semiotics analysis laeves open a
wide variety of posibilities for pictorial semiotics. Some influences have been drawn from
phenomenological analysis,cognitive psychology, and structuralist and cognitivist
linguistics, and visual anthropology / sociology.
Symbol
Symbol is the sign which show the natural relationship between signifier and
signified. The relation base on convention of society. Base on interpretant, sign is divided
into rheme,dicent sign or dicisign and argument. Rheme is sign which enable for people
to interpret based on the choice. Dicent sign or Dicisign is the sign according to the fact.
While, Argument is who directly give the reason about something.
In studying about semiotics, there are several theories can be learned. In this case
the writer prefers to take a little about the theory Umberto Eco he say that sign is
everything which can be taken as significantly substituting for something else.
Umberto Eco make example of symbol system in water dam phenomena. Eco see
when the water is fulfill the dam, there signal or active censor like lamp signal to show
the increase and decrease the water in dam. Active censor is a symbol and the function is
to deliver a message to the dam operator. The content of the message is “the water has
over limited”. The respond of the dam operator produce the action like open some water
door so that the water can flow and the dam will not collapse. From this case, Eco found
that to read a symbol or message we must pay attention to the symbol systems which
related, that is :
1. Object ( water debit )
2. Symbol/sign ( active censor,lamp signal )
3. Respond ( dam operator )
4. Rule ( systems ). The fourth elements above work because there is a systems ( rule
) which connected the elements. From the explanation above, we can see that
people do not communicate by language only but by using symbols help people to
send some message.
Symbolic and semiotics are the same also for Cassirer ( The Philosophy of
Symbolic Forms,1923 ). Science does not mirror the structure of being the fundamental
concepts of each science, the instruments with which it propounds its questions and
formulates its solutions, are regarded no longer as passive images of something but as
symbols created by the intellect itself
Sign
Sign is something that can be intreprted as having a meaning, which is something
other than itself, and which is therefore able to communicate information to the one
interpreting or decoding the sign. Signs can work through any of the senses, visul,
auditory, tactile, factory or taste, and their meaning can be intentional such as a word
uttered with a specific meaning, or unintentioanal such as symptom being a sign of a
particular medical condition.
Sign is also a meaningful unit which is interpreted as “ standing for “ something
other than itself. Sign are found in the physical form of words, images, sounds, acts or
objects ( this physical form is sometimes known as the sign vehicle ). Sign have no
intrinsic meaning and become signs only when sign users invest them with meaning with
reference to a recognized code.
Dyadic Sign
Sign is composed of the signifier ( significant ), and the signified (signifie). These
cannot be sign conceptualized as seperate entities but rather as a mapping from significant
differences in sound to potential ( correct) differential denotation. The Saussurean sign
exists only at level of the synchronic system, in which signs are defined by their relative
and hierarchical privileges of co-occurrence. It is thus a commen misreading of Saussure
to take signifiers to be anything one could speak, and signifieds as things in the world. In
fact, the relationship of language to parole ( or speech-in-context ) is and always has been
a theoretical problem for linguistics ( cf.Roman Jakobson’s famous essay “Closing
Statement : Linguistics and Poetics”et all ).
For example
The Triadic Sign
A sign something which depends on an object in a way that enables ( and,in a
sense,determines ) an interpretation, an interpretant, to depend on the object as the sign
depends on the object. The interpretant,then,is a further signs. The process,called
semiosis, is irreducibly triadic, Peirce held, and is logically structured to perpetuate itself.
It is what defines sign, object, and interpretant in general. As Jean-Jacques Nattiez (
1990:7 ) put it, ”the process of refering effected by the sign is infinite. ( Note also that
Peirce used the word ) ”determine” in the sense not of strict determinism,but of
effectiveness that can vary like an influence ).
According to Nattiez ( 1990:7 ),writing with Jean Molino, the tripartite definition
of sign, object, and interpretant is based on the “trace” or neutral level,Saussure’s “sound-
image” ( or “signified”,thus Peirce’s “repsentamen” ). Thus, ’a symbolic form...is not
some ‘intermediary’ in process of ‘communication’ that transmits the meaning intended
by the author to the audience ; it is instead the result of complex process of creation ( the
poeitic process ) that has to do with the form as well as the content of the work ; it is also
the point of departure for complex process of reception ( the esthesic process that
reconstructs a message” ).
Molino’s and Nattiez’s diagram:
Poietic Process Esthesic Process
“Producer” Trace Receiver
SIGN
SIGNIFIER
(HODA-HODA)
SIGNIFIED
(GREATNESS)
( Nattiez 1990:17 )
The Ontological Triad
The phenomena of sign or a picture is not as they manifest themselves to external
perception, but as they appear to the mind while the phenomena can be devided into three
categories :
1. First Phenomena
It is the mode of being of that it is positively and without reference to anything
outside itself, ”a quality,” unpresentable a kind “feeling” without recognition or
analysis.
2. Second Phenomena
It is the mode of being of what which is as it is ”relative” to something outside
itself”, an experience, a kind of a fact, an extent Phenomena.
Cultural Semiotics
It is mode of being of that which puts in to relation between two entires, a triadic
relation existing between Semiotics Culture is the entire way of life for a group of people
( including both material and symbolic elements ). It has been existed at long time. Every
Countries has some of unique culture. Culture also play roles in a country because it can
unite all of differences in a country.
Sociologists see culture as consisting of two different categories and: material
culture ( any physical object to which we give social meaning ) symbolic culture (the
ideas associated with a cultural group,such as tools, machines utensils, buildings, and
artwork. Symbolic Culture includes ways of thingking (beliefs, values, and assumptions )
and ways of behaving ( norms,interactions,and communication ).
Semiotics of Culture( Ikegami, 1985 ; Lamb,1984 ; Kelkar,1984 ) is just
particularly to explain sytems of sign that existed in society of culture certainly. It was be
known that society a social creature has a culture systems certainly who stayed in and
respected. In this case the writer prefers to analyze semiotics in culture because it has
meaningful, for example of culture is Batak Culture.
Batak Society’s Culture is one of the famous culture which is never separated
from Indonesia’s culture.There are differences that differentiate Batak Society from other
society in Indonesia either in the world that are the unique of languages, kind of dances
and also some of house traditional examples Rumah adat Bolon. That is very familiar in
Indonesia because it has a few of unique symbols.
Ethnolinguistics
Ethnolinguistics someties called cultural linguistics is a field of linguistics which
a studies the relationship between language and culture, and the way diffrent ethnic
groups perceive the world. It is the combination between ethonology and linguistics. The
former refers to the way of life of an entire community, all the characteristics which
distinguish one community from the other. These charateristics make the cultural aspects
of community or society.
According to Dell Hymes (1975:2) Ethnolinguistics the culturally significant
arrangement or productive statements about the relevant relationships among locally
defined categories and contexts ( of objects and events ) within a given social matrix.
History of Rumah Bolon
A long time ago, in Toba Batak rumah bolon is home to thirteen kings who live
in Sumatra Utara. Ranjiman King, Nagaraja King, Batiran King, Bakkaraja King,
Baringin King, Bonabatu King, Rajaulan King, Atian King, Hormabulan King, Raondop
King, Rahalim King, Karel King, and Mogom King.
There are two kinds of Batak Traditional houses, the house and sopo. The house was used
as the residence building. The construction of the house is highly intricate because it uses
only pins and ropes, without nail and bolt. Additionally, the house construction requires
wood with certain specification in large quantities.
This particular house bolon is approximately 9,5 x 15 meters in size, almost twice the size
of a normal house. The idea of development of this house was to conserve the almost
extinct original houses remaining in Batak due to abandoment and or lack of proper
preservation.
The typical characteristic of house is the walls richly decorated with carving
(gorga). Apart from as the decoration, gorga has both philosophical and religues values.
The lion figures on the left, the jenggar on the right, as well as the ulupaung were made to
provide comfort for the occupants. The breasts stand as symbol of fertility ( hagabean ),
the lizard ( boraspati ) as symbol of wisdom and wealth, the same applies to the
symetrical coiled ( sulur ) gorga.
The space beneath a house ( tombara ) is used as a pen for livestock, wood anf
everyday equipment storage, as well as space for weaving ulos. The middle part is the
place of residence. This part is not separated into compartments and it does not have a
mattress, so members of the family sleep on mats which work as both pads and partition
deviding one family from another. This residence part of the house also function as a
kitchen where all members of the two or three families cook their meals using a
traditional stove-tungku ( tataring ). On top of each of the tungku is a para-para, which is
a place to keep kitchen utensils and equipments.
Culture of Rumah bolon
Culture refers to the cummulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs,
values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations,
concepts of universe and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people
in the course of generations through individual and group striving.
Rumah bolon is one of Toba Batak culture in Sumatra Utara.Rumah bolon very
important to conserve and value preserve it beauty.
Rumah Bolon
The map of research :
Bolon is a custom Houses Batak tribe in Indonesia. Rumah bolon comes from
North Sumatra. Rumah bolon is a symbol of the identity of the Batak people who live in
North Sumatra. A long time ago, in Toba Batak rumah bolon is home to 13 kings who
lived in Sumatra Utara. Ranjinman King, Nagaraja King, Batiran King, Bakkaraja King,
Baringin King, Bonabatu King, Rajaulan King, Atian King, Hormabulan King, Raondop
King, Rahalim King, Karel King, and Mogam King. Some types of traditional house of
the community in Batak, they are : Toba Batak rumah bolon, Simalungun rumah bolon,
Karo rumah bolon, Mandailing rumah bolon, Pakpak rumah bolon, Angkola rumah
bolon. Each home has a trademark respectively. Rumah bolon current amount is not too
much so that some kind of home Bolon even harder to find. Currently, rumah bolon is
one of the attractions in North Sumatra. Rumah bolon is one of Indonesian culture that
must be preserved.
Symbols of Rumah bolon
Rumah bolon has a few of symbols and the meaning of symbols, they are :
1. Hoda-hoda
Ornaments or carving in the form of animals (horses) that is being ridden by a
person and the other was holding the reins of a horse standing beside. This
Ornaments is painte, asd there, and some are carved on the front and side walls of
the left and right of the house or sopo, a portrait of the indigenous party
atmosphere that is a party Mangaliat Horbo (big party). Given this engraving
means the homeowner has the right to implement a large party. In a symbolic
meaning as a symbol of greatness.
2. Boraspati
A lizard / lizard body stripes (stripes) and a forked tail. Boraspati also called
Bujonggir, Toba Batak people consider that bujonggir is the oldest animal
because it has the signs of upcoming events through motion or by voice, because
the human being is considered as a patron, then bujonggir its name to Ni
Boraspati Tano (soil fertility god) and A force for human protection from angry
danger, giving blessings and wealth to humans.
3. Sijonggi
Coat a bull called Sijonggi. Jonggi is so often used symbol of virility in men's
names because regarded as a symbol of courage.
4. Adep-adep
Adep-adep or female milk, milk is considered as a symbol of fertility and wealth,
and often created as a symbol of motherhood ( inanta parsonduk ) which means
compassionate and merciful.
5. Desa Na Ualu
The village is a symbol Na Ualu astrology to determine when best for you to
work as as the season comes down to the rice fields, fishing and others.
Traditional house of Batak Toba By Village Na Ualu mounted on the end wall of
the right and left.
6. Mata Niari
Mata Niari (the sun) as a symbol of life and a source of strength for the decisive
way the world lives, so often called the Ancient humans.
7. Hariara Sondung
Hariara Sondung in the sky symbolizes the human birth to this world as a human
being blessed by God, so man must fear his God as creator of heaven and earth.
8. Silitong
Wata means whirlpool, which symbolize powerful force that can protect humans
from harm.
9. Simarogung-ogung
Is regarded as a party symbol and symbolizes glory and the prosperity.
10. Simeol-meol
This symbol describe the joy and add the beauty of a building ( traditional house )
so the placement is free.
11. Dalihan Natolu
Dalihan tolu public relations is always governed by custom. Dalihan Tolu
symbolizes that home owners always respectful to the hula-hula, be persuaded to
Boru and caution against dongan sabutuha.
12. Ipon-Ipon
Ipon-Ipon form a half-circle, triangle and tendril-sulur.Painting symbolizes
beauty enhancer.
13. Iran-iran
Iran is a kind of sweetener of human face in order to look more beautiful and
wise, which symbolizes the symbol of beauty.
14. Sitogan
Togan is a closed box made of silver or gold as a leaf, betel, areca nut, gambier,
tobacco and lime. Describe as an advisor for homeowners to eliminate proud and
arrogant attitude toward others and society.
15. Sitompi
Similar tool to bind the neck buffalo used for plow rice fields. Sitompi symbolize
love one another in order to live ( the symbol of cultural attachment ).
16. Ulung Paung
Paung accomplished symbolizes a force to protect the household against evil
spirits from entering through the door of the house.
17. Singa-singa
The lion symbolizes the law of justice and truth.
18. Gajah Dompak
Symbolizes truth in the sense that people should know the true law is the law
handed down by God Almighty.
19. Jengger
Symbolizes the rejection of all kinds of evil, so that the occupants safe.
2.The Research Design
A research design will typically include how design will typically include how
data is to be collected. This research is conducted by using descrptive qualitative method.
Descriptive is a scientific method which involves observising and describing the
behavior of subject without influencing it any way. Descriptive it is done with a
consideration that the purpose of this research is to describe about semiotics especially
symbols in rumah bolon. By using this method, the data was analyzed by describing the
meaning of symbols in rumah bolon.
Steven J.Taylor ( 1984 : 5 ) states that Qualitative method is develop concepts,
insights, and understanding from patterns in the data, rather than collecting data to assess
preconceived models, hypotheses, or theories.
Data Resources
The data of the name are symbols in rumah bolon. They are : Hoda-hoda,
Boraspati, Sijonggi, Adep-adep, Desa na ualu, Mata niari, Hariara sondung dilangit,
Silitong, Simarogung-ogung, Simeol-meol, Dalihan natolu, Ipon-ipon, Iran-iran, Sitogan,
Sitompi, Ulung paung, Singa-singa, Gajah dompak, Jengger.
The Technique for Analyzing The Data
In analyzing the data,the writer uses these following steps.
1. Identifying the symbols of rumah bolon.
2. Interpreting the meaning of the symbols in the rumah bolon.
3. Concluding the finding.
The Data
As stated in the previous chapter, the data of this research are symbol of rumah adat
bolon Batak Toba collected from books of Batak Toba culture, internet and the source,
the writer made direct research to Samosir, North Sumatra to find from the society
The symbols research of rumah adat bolon Batak Toba consits of nineteen symbols,
namely :
1. Hoda- hoda
2. Boraspati
3. Sjonggi
4. Adep- adep
5. Desa Na Ualu
6. Mata Niari
7. Hariara Sondung
8. Silitong
9. Simarogung – ogung
10. Simeol- meol
11. Dalihan Natolu
12. Ipon- ipon
13. Iran- iran
14. Sitogan
15. Sitompi
16. Ulung Paung
17. Singa- singa
18. Gajah Dompak
19. Jengger
4. Data Analysis
1. Hoda-hoda
SIGN
The picture is a motif of Hoda- hoda in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Hoda- hoda. It means greatness.
Theses carving of animal are being ridden by person and other are holding the
reins of horse standing beside. This ornaments are picture in there and some are
caved on the front and side walls of the left and right of the house or sopo, a potrait
of the indigeneous it is a party Mangaliat Horbo ( big party ). The symbol meanings
a symbol of greatness.
At the time there was no any transportation. The society uses Hoda-hoda as
transportation.
INTERPRETATION
( GREATNESS )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON
2. Boraspati
SIGN
The picture is a motif of Boraspati in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Boraspati. It means blessing and wealth.
Boraspati it means a lizard. Boraspati also called Bujonggir, Toba Batak people
consider it bujonggir is the oldest animal. Because it has the signs of upcoming
events through by voice, because the human being considered as a patron from angry
danger.
INTERPRETAtION
( BLESSING AND WEALTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
3. Sijonggi
SIGN
The picture is a motif of Sijonggi in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Sijonggi. It means courage.
Coat a bull called Sijonggi. Jonggi is so often symbol of virility it man’s name
because regarded as a symbol of courage.
INTERPRETATION
( COURAGE )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
4. Adep – adep
SIGN
The picture is a motif of Adep – adep in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Adep – adep. It means Fertility and Wealth.
Adep – adep or female milk, milk considered as a symbol of fertility and wealth, and
often created as symbol of motherhood ( inanta parsonduk ) which means
compassionte and merciful.
INTERPRETATION
( FERTILITY AND WEALTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
5. Desa Na Ualu
SIGN
This is a motif of Desa Na Ualu in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of Desa
Na Ualu. It means Truth and Strength.
Desa Na Ualu or village, astorology to determine when best for you to work as the season
comes down to the rice fields , fishing, and others. Traditional house of Toba Batak by Desa
Na Ualu mounted on the end of the right and left.
INTERPRETATION
( TRUTH AND STRENGTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
6. Mata Niari
SIGN
This is a motif of Mata Niari in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This a symbol of Mata Niari. It
meaning Life and Strength.
Mata Niari ( sun ) as a symbol of life and sorce of strength for decivise way the world lives, so
often called the ancient humans.
INTERPRETATION
( LIFE AND STRENGTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
7. Hariara Sondung
SIGN
This is a motif of Hariara Sondung in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Hariara Sondung. It means Blessing.
Hariara sondung in the sky symbolize the human birth to this world human being
blessed by God, so man must fear his God as creator of heaven and earth.
INTERPRETATION
( BLESSING )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
8. Silitong
SIGN
This is a motif of Silitong in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of Silitong. It
means Powerful.
Silotong or Wata means whirlpool, which symbolize powerful force that can protect humans
from harm.
INTERPRETATION
( POWERFUL )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
9. Simarogung- ogung
SIGN
This is a motif of Simarogung- ogung in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a
symbol of Simarogung- ogung. It means Glory and Prosperity.
Simarogung- ogung is regarded a party symbol. The society Toba Batak
symbolize Glory and Prosperity.
INTERPRETATION
( GLORY AND BEAUTY )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
10. Simeol- meol
SIGN
This is a motif of Simeol – meol in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of
Simeol – meol. It meaning Joy and Beauty.
Simeol – meol is the symbol describe the joy and add the beauty of a building ( traditional
house ) so the placement is free.
11. Dalihan Natolu
SIGN
This is a motif of Dalihan Natolu in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol
Dalihan Natolu. It means Respectful.
INTERPRETATION
( RESPECTFUL )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
INTERPRETATION
( JOY AND BEAUTY )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
Dalihan Natolu public relation is always governed by custom. Dalihan Natolu symbolize
that home owners always respectful to hula- hula, be persuaded to Boru and caution against
dongan sabutuha.
12. Ipon – ipon
SIGN
This is a motif of Ipon- ipon in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol
of Ipon – ipon. It meaning Beauty enhancer.
13. Iran – iran
SIGN
This is a motif of Iran – iran in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol Iran –
iran. It means Beautiful and Wise.
Iran is a kind of sweetner of human face in order to look more beautiful and wise. The
symbol of beautiful and wise.
INTERPRETATION
( BEAUTY ENHANCER )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
INTERPRETATION
( BEAUTIFUL AND WISE )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
14. Sitogan
SIGN
This is a motif of Sitogan in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of
Sitogan. It means Attitude.
Togan is a closed box made of silver or gold as a leaf, areca nut, gambier,
tobacco and lime. This picture describe symbolize as advisor for homeowners to
eliminate proud and arrogant toward others and society.
15. Sitompi
SIGN
INTERPRETATION
( ATTITUDE )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
INTERPRETATION
( CULTURAL ATTCHMENT )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
This is a motif of Sitompi in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of Sitompi.
It means Cultural attachment.
Similar tool to bind the neck buffalo used for plow rice fields. Sitompi symbolize
love one another in order to live ( the symbol of cultural attachment ).
16. Ulu Paung
SIGN
This is a motif of Ulu paung in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol
of Ulu Paung. It means Strength.
Ulung Paung accomplished symbolizes a force to protect the household againstn
evil sprit from entering through to door of the house.
INTERPRETATION
( STRENGTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
17. Singa- singa
SIGN
This is a motif of Singa-singa in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of Singa
– singa.It means Justice and Truth.
Singa – singa or lion to Toba Batak society is the symbolize justice and truth.
INTERPRETATION
( JUSTICE AND TRUTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
18. Gajah Dompak
SIGN
;
This is a motif of Gajah Dompak in rumah bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of
Gajah Dompak.It means Truth.
Gajah Dompak symbolizes truth in the sense it people should know the true law
is the la handed down by God Almighty.
INTERPRETATION
(TRUTH )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
19. Jengger
SIGN
This is a motif of Jengger in rumah adat bolon Batak Toba. This is a symbol of Jengger.
It means Rejection and Safety.
ss is symbolizes the rejection of all kinds of evil, so that the occupants safety.
4. Conclusions
After analyzing of are symbols in rumah bolon Toba Batak. The writer makes some
conclusions, namely :
1. Every symbols of rumah bolon Toba Batak has symbols different meaning. The symbol
of Hoda-hoda meanings the greatness, Boraspati meanings blessing and wealth, Sijonggi
meanings virility, Adep- adep and meanings ferility and wealth, Desa Na Ualu meanings
strength, Mata Niari meanings strength, Hariara Sondung meanings blessed, Silitong
meanings powerful, Simarogung- ogung meanings glory and prosperity, Simeol- meol
meanings joy and beauty, Dalihan Natolu meanings respectful, Ipon- ipon meanings
beauty enhancer, Iran- iran meanings beautiful and wise, Sitogan meanings attitude,
Sitompi and meaning is love, Ulung Paung meanings strength, Singa- singa meanings
justice and truth, Gajah Dompak meanings truth, Jengger meanings rejection and
safety.
2. all this symbols are realeted a Culture of rumah adat Bolon Batak Toba and the social life
in society.
INTERPRETATION
( REJECTION AND SAFETY )
OBJECT
( RUMAH ADAT BOLON )
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