Nurwani Nurwani, Bakhrul Khair Amal, Abdurahman Adisaputera, Muhammad Ridwan
Using qualitative method and hermeneutical approach, this research examines the ratok bawak bewailing tradition of Minangkabau cultural ethnicity in Bukik Limbuku region, Payakum-buh town, Sumatra, Indonesia. This region uses the Indonesian language, Minangkabau tradition and follows the matrilineal system. They are led by a headman, administration is done according to custom and ratok bawak is used especially when burying a region headman. However, Hans-Georg Gadamer’s transformation theory found in his book titled Truth and Method (German: Wahrheit und Methode, first edition in 1960) has transformed this ritual into an art capable of influencing its original meaning. Data were collected by observation, interview, documentation, and reconstruction, and were analyzed by interpretative and qualitative descriptive analysis. Results show that though the ratok bawak had expounded the meaning of sadness, solidarity, education, politeness, prestige and discord, the transformed ratok bawak illustrates the meaning of aesthetics, education (norm, tradition, and social), imagination, expressive creativity, creation and appreciation. © 2020 The Author(s).
State University of Medan, Faculty of Language and Arts, Department of Indonesian Literature, Jl. William Iskandar Ps. V, Medan, 20221, Indonesia; State University of Medan, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Jl. William Iskandar Ps. V, Medan, 20221, Indonesia; State Islamic University of North Sumatra, Faculty of Tarbiyah, English Department, Jl. William Iskandar Ps. V, Medan, 20221, Indonesia
