I.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
The term semeotic derives from the
Greek σημειωτικός, (sēmeiōtikos), "observant of
signs" where the word σημεῖον
means sēmeion, "a sign, a
mark" (www.wikipedia.org). So, it is a study about sign processes,
indication, designation, likeness, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, communication
and relating to the interpretation of signs. A sign defined as something that
stands for something, to someone in some capacity. It includes words, images,
gestures, scents, tastes, textures, sounds which can be communicated as a
message to other.
In art, a motif is an element of a pattern,
image or theme. A motif may be repeated in a design or composition, often many
times, or may just occur once in a work. A motif may be an element in the
iconography of a particular subject or type of subject that is seen in other
works. Because of a motif is an element of image, so motif can take a part as a
sign. There is a certain sign in a certain motif and each sign describes
certain messages which become a describing of something else, including all motifs in a textile.
There are many different textile motifs,
which have certain meaning in different culture in Indonesia. Cultural textile
in Manggarai (which called Songke)
has unique motif pattern from other culture in Nusa Tenggara Timur, or in Indonesian
generally. The culture of Manggarainese can be seen from the motifs, because
their motifs show how they were thought and felt. So trough the motif which
take a place in a Songke, other
people will be able to know about Manggarainese. But it is not easy to find the
something which stand behind the motif, which describe trough that cultural
textile, because there is a might be different one another in the way of
thinking so there are many possibility which appear as a meaning of a cultural
textile motif. So this paper will try to find out the meaning of a sign of a songke’s motif
1.2 Research problems
Because of the way to think of some
culture might be different each other, so the people of Manggarai might be has
different concept in their mind. This research try to find out what were they
though, based on the cultural textile motifs which describes in a Songke. The research problem will be
answered by research question like what kind of motif which appear in a Songke
of Manggarainese? What is the meaning of each motif?
1.3 Method and technique of data collection
In this research, the method used
is quantitative research method where the data are collected from Manggarainese
language written and other semiotic paper of Manggarainese culture, and interview
directly some people from Manggarai.
II.
Discussion
A
sign is a representation of an object that implies a connection between itself
and its object. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object for
example a cloudy sky signals rain is coming.
When we talking about sign, we will talk about two term which related to
the sign as the material representation of a sign. They are signifier and
signified. Signifier is the form which the sign takes while the concept it
represents. In Oxford Dictionary, signifier defines as a sign’s physical form
[such as a sound, printed word, or image] as distinct from its meaning. While
signified defines as the meaning or idea expressed by a sign, as distict from
the physical form in which it is expressed. (1995: 1101)
There are two types of semiotic meaning in a Songke. The first is meaning of color
and the other is meaning of sign of motif appear in the Songke. Ant the second is
the motifs that appeared in the Songke
which related to nature where Manggarai people believe that it provide to
survive human life.
The Color Used in Songke
There
are many color used in Songke, like
white, blue, green, and golden color. Those all color are used to make a sign
appear or look clearly. The basic color which used as background is black.
Manggarai people believe that the black is as symbol of greatness or power of
Manggarainese. It is sign as a defensiveness or awareness of Manggarai people
that human life has limited, how big a power that human has is leave when they
die. They believe that God’s power
greater than human’s. so, the black color tries to give a message that
Manggarai people should be good whether they have a power to control or to do
all thing they want. It is taught them that life is the process of a journey
from God and back to God. The black as the most useful color in Songke describe that Manggarai people
believe to God as the owner of human life. So they tries to teach to the
younger generation to keep their self in purity and goodness in the act.
The motifs of Songke
In
the fact, a Songke may have some kind
of motifs only. A Songke may be has
different patter motifs with the other. It is a kind of variation that show or
describe a creativity of human as a God’s gift. But trough this, Benny Kasman
argue that it is a cause the real message that given by the ancestor will
slowly erase or disappear year by year (www.floresbangkit.com).
This all happen when the people who make a Songke
tries to creat a new symbol which look more beautiful doesn’t has a moral
message as like as the ancestor had given.
There
are many kind of motif used in Songke. They
all give a certain moral message. Most of the pattern of the motif is pick up
from all natural things in human environment. This show us that Manggarai
people are related closer to the nature where thay are leave. They believe that
all nature things are provided for human to survive in this world. God gives
them the all thing in help them to make them always in good condition until
they role-play in this world is over.
In
the following, there are some motif appear in the Songke of Manggarainese.
a. Jok Motif
Jok
is a based motif in Songke which is
more unique than other motif. it is a describing of a cultural house of
Manggarai people. This motif symbolizes a unity, the unity which taken a place
in the Manggarai people long time ago which kept by the ancestor from
generation to generation. The unity is meant as the unity between human and
god, human and their environment, and between human itself.
b. Su’i motif
It is a kind of lines which limited
a Songke’s motif patter. It’s a
symbol of a limited which the limited tries to make human aware or realize that
all what his had or did in this world has limited. Whether it is power,
glamour, popularity, and all things that he has (include human life) is under
the control of a limited. This gives a message to human to make a good thing in
this world for purposing of next word which has prepared by God.
c. Ntala
motif
Ntaal
in English means Star. In Manggarai ideology the star relate to a hope which
risen up as high as star. This show us that Manggarai people is an optimist
people who never give up when they are going to run this life. Whether there
are many problems appear they believe that by a prayer to god all bad thing
will be disappear and they can continue their life with a happiness. Besides, a
star is a symbol of a self-esteem which must always be risen up. The self
esteem is the important one in Manggarai people, and its ofcourse important for
any other culture in this world.
d. Wela Runu
Motif
Wela
runu is a kind of flower which is by
Manggarai people it is called runu.
It is an ethic principle of Manggarai people. The Manggarai ancestor though
that human must be reflect a wela runu where it is a small flower but
beautiful, it is small in size but but big in quality. Wela runu teach a moral
about a altruist.
In
Manggarai culture there are more motif that appear in Songke where didn’t discussed or analyzed here. From an interview,
the writer got some information that songke’s
motif mostly is a form of flower describing. There are many flower which used
as motif in make a Songke by
Manggarai people. Like the black color in Manggarai is as symbol of greatness
or power of Manggarainese.
III.
Conclusion
Based on the
data analyzing above, motifs in cultural textile of Manggarai which called Songke has certain massage. Means that a
sign in a motif of songke symbol of
something diferent where its content is consist of moral value. By this
research, it is known that some sign signify a concept of human life, jok motifs symbolizes a unity of
Manggarai people, Su’i motif It’s a symbol of a limited which
the limited tries to make human aware or realize that all what his had or did
in this world has limited, ntaal motif
which relate to Manggarai ideology where symbol of the star which relate to a
hope that risen up as high as star, and the last is wela runu where it is a kin of a small flower and it has a moral
massege that whether they are small size Manggarai people must great in quality
of life.