Critical Semiotics of Pakkiok Bunting  Poem in Makassar Oral Tradition

Asis Nojeng; Sakaria Sakaria; Nur Hasbi

doi:10.31849/a3c15p44

Authors

Asis Nojeng Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia
Sakaria Sakaria Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia
Nur Hasbi Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31849/a3c15p44

Keywords:

Ritual poetry , Critical semiotics, Linguistic imagery , Ritual discourse, Symbolic anthropology

Abstract

Ritual language does more than preserve cultural memory; it organizes meaning, legitimizes authority, and shapes gendered identities. Yet research on Pakkiok Bunting , a Makassar wedding poem, has remained descriptive, emphasizing form, function, and values without explaining how linguistic imagery, symbolic expressions, and ritual discourse construct ideology. This study examines how the language of Pakkiok Bunting produces cultural meaning and reproduces social norms through critical semiotics and symbolic anthropology. Employing a qualitative interpretative-critical design, the study analyzed a textual corpus derived from Puisi-Puisi Makassar (1995), supported by observation, performance documentation, transcription, and translation. Data were examined across imagery, symbols, magical beliefs, gender representation, and customary authority. Trustworthiness was strengthened through triangulation, peer debriefing, an audit trail, and thick description. The findings demonstrate that visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and emotional imagery functions not merely as poetic ornamentation but as linguistic and semiotic resources that create sacredness, emotional intensity, and participation. Waves, mist, the moon, stars, drums, Daeng Bunting, and tears encode destiny, ritual legitimacy, family honor, lineage continuity, and maternal sacrifice. The poem consequently operates as performative-magical discourse: its language does not simply describe reality but helps constitute and legitimize it. It also constructs women as bearers of family dignity while normalizing their reproductive and emotional burdens. The study’s originality lies in conceptualizing ritual poetry as linguistic action and offering a transferable critical-semiotic model for examining how language, power, gender, and cultural memory are negotiated in oral traditions, with implications for culturally responsive preservation, language education, and intergenerational transmission.

Author Biographies

Asis Nojeng, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

Asis Nojeng is a senor researcher at Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, whose research interests focus on language, oral literature, cultural semiotics, and the relationship between linguistic expression and cultural meaning. His scholarly work explores how traditional verbal arts preserve collective memory, construct social values, and represent cultural identities. Through interdisciplinary approaches combining linguistics, semiotics, and cultural studies, he contributes to the understanding and preservation of Makassar oral heritage.
Sakaria Sakaria, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

Sakaria is a senior researcher affiliated with Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, with academic interests in language studies, cultural expression, and the analysis of local traditions. His research engagement highlights the importance of examining oral narratives as dynamic cultural practices where language, identity, and social values interact. He is committed to advancing linguistic and cultural scholarship through critical interpretations of indigenous knowledge and literary traditions.
Nur Hasbi, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

Nur Hasbi is an academic researcher at Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, whose scholarly interests include language, literature, and cultural studies. His research contributes to broader discussions on oral traditions, symbolic meanings, and the role of language in representing community values and cultural identity. Through collaborative academic work, he supports efforts to document, interpret, and sustain Indonesia’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

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