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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter contains conclusions and suggestions of the present study.
This research investigates the cultural values of Buginese that are contained in
Buginese traditional songs. The conclusions comprising three points made based
upon the research findings and discussions, and the suggestions comprising
three points made based upon the results of the study.
A. CONCLUSIONS
Based upon the results yielded in the study, the researcher could draw
three conclusions in answering the problem statements of this study.
1. Cultural symbols that appear in Buginese traditional songs not only have
morphemic and literal meanings but also have idiomatic meanings. In ten
songs that become the object of study, apply two patterns, galigo and nongaligo patterns. Each song has three or more cultural symbols. Each cultural
symbol has certain meanings that function as prayer, advice, warning, and
local wisdom, aiming to get safety, success, welfare, prosperity, peaceful, and
happiness from God’s blessing. We can understand the significant meanings
of the cultural symbols through Buginese convention and through the process
of morphemic, literal/modified, and idiomatic translation or interpretation. In
this study, the researcher finds 57 (fifty-seven) cultural symbols in 10 (ten)
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BTS and those cultural symbols are classified into 3 (three) parts. The first
one is “Things” that have 45 (forty-five) cultural symbols. The second one is
“Plants” (consisted of fruit, bloom, and leaves) that have 6 (six) cultural
symbols. The third one is “Terrestrials” that have 4 (four) cultural symbols.
(See the table of cultural symbols found in each BTS!). The most interesting
among those 57 (fifty-seven) cultural symbols are “Unganna panasaē”–
jackfruit as a symbol of “Lempū” that means “Honest”. Secondly is “Bēlo
kanukuē”–nail adornment as a symbol of “Paccing” that means “Cleannest”.
Besides symbols of “Lempū” and “Paccing” their green color conventionally
symbolizes “Fertility”. It means both husband and wife are “Masēmpo-dallē”
or “Sōgī”–Rich and “Mawijā” bear many children. Thirdly is “Ulawengngi
mammekkoē”–be quiet is gold as a symbol of “the best quality” that means, “It
is the best if we do not convey anything we do not know the rightness”.
Fourthly is “Salakai mettē’ē”–talking is bronze as a symbol of “better quality
than others” that means, “It is better to convey than to be quiet if we know the
rightness”. Fifthly is “Passaniasani bokotta’”–prepare your package as a
symbol of “āmala’” that means “charity”. All these cultural symbols are derived
from “Lontara’ Pappaseng and Lontara’ Pangajā”. The aim refers to the
person’s safety of life in the world and the next world.
2. There are 10 (Ten) BTS chosen in this research. Four of them are chosen
because they apply “Galigo pattern” and six of them are chosen because they
apply “Non-galigo pattern” All BTS that apply these patterns contain many
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Buginese cultural symbols that function as prayers for safety, welfare,
prosperity, success, quiet, peaceful, and happiness. “Galigo pattern” is a
traditional or poetical form of Buginese songs, while “Non-galigo pattern” is a
pattern that using parallelism and repetition forms in each its lyric or stanza.
Based upon the result of the analysis in chapter IV, Findings and Discussion,
the writer finds three aspects of values. Firstly is “Philosophical values” that
are conveyed and symbolized by 34 (thirty-four) cultural symbols in BTS,
(See! Table 12, page 160, 161). The highlights are “malempū–honest,
mapaccing–
clean,
siri’–mappalaiseng–separation
of
siri’,
magetteng–
consistent, macca- clever, maperrū–thoughtful, matike’–careful, sipakatāūsipakalebbī–respect each other, and mabbarakka’–blessing”. Secondly is
“Religious values” that are conveyed and symbolized by 15 (fifteen) cultural
symbols in BTS, (See! Table 13, page 165, 166). The highlights are
“mateppe’–believe, panrita- priest, pakkāmala’–philanthropy, tōtō–fate, and
mappēsona–resignation”. Thirdly is “Social/Humanity values” that are
conveyed and symbolized by 29 (twenty-nine) cultural symbols in BTS, (See!
Table 14, pages 168, 169, and 170). The highlights are “maperrū–thoughtful,
Malabo–generous, pattulung- helpful, mappakarāja–respect, mappasisau na
mapessē–relief and solidarity, and ādēlē–fair.
3. Sidrap Regency (County) is one of the regencies that situates in South
Sulawesi, Indonesia, that entitles “Rice barn region”. As cultural and civilized
regency, its communities always hold in high esteem their culture and
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civilization. Therefore, all activities and ceremonies done are based upon its
communities’ culture and customs. In Sidrap, only three ceremonial activities
the committee and families perform and provide many cultural symbols, only
marriage, inauguration, and political activities. In doing ceremonial activities,
there are many cultural symbols performed. Some of them function as
“Prayers”. In Buginese’s belief, they are called “sennung-sennungeng”
means “symbols of safety and success”. Based upon the analysis of contexts
in chapter IV, the writer finds 35 (thirty-five) cultural symbols that function as
prayers of safety, success, welfare, prosperity, and happiness, for their
symbolization, see! Table 15 on page 177 and Table 16 0n page 179, 180,
and 181. There are 26 (twenty-six) cultural symbols function as prayers and 9
(nine) function merely symbols. In marriage context (ceremony), the kinds of
cultural symbols found are divided into 3 (three) parts. The first one is derived
from “Things” that have 9 (nine) cultural symbols. The second one is derived
from “Plants” that have 11 (eleven) cultural symbols. The third one is derived
from “Cakes” that have 15 (fifteen) cultural symbols, in this case, 8 (eight)
kinds of traditional cakes and 7 (seven) kinds of modern cakes. In
inauguration ceremony, in general, 3 (three) kinds of traditional cakes are
provided (“onde-onde, indo-beppa, and burongngo”), and 4 (four) kinds of
modern cakes are also provided (“sikāporo’, bingka’, bolu-gulung, and
sanggara’-belanda”). In political ceremony, such as “Pilkada”–Regent
Election, in general, the cultural symbols provided are the same as in
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inauguration ceremony. Based upon their function and aim, as prayers or
“sennung-sennungeng”–symbols of safety, success, peaceful, and happiness,
they will always relevant in marriage, inauguration, and political contexts.
B. SUGGESTIONS
This study focuses on the analysis of cultural symbols in BTS. All
Buginese should understand the findings of cultural symbols together with their
significant meanings found in this study, because without understanding them it
is too difficult for Buginese to understand their ancestor’s “Pappaseng” in BTS.
The suggestions are divided into recommendations concerning with the
classroom implications of the findings, recommendations concerning with further
related research, and recommendations for the authority/government.
1. Recommendation for the classroom implication of the findings
a. Although the present study is not specifically designed for teaching
purpose, the findings provided are considered up to date and significantly
useful references to the teachers of languages whether Buginese,
Indonesian and English to teach literary semiotics, local poetry, and
cultural subjects at Senior or Junior High School and at the University. The
objective of the subject is to avoid the students’ riot (tawuran) outside or
inside of the campus and to provide the students not to be corruptor later.
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b. It has been mentioned previously that studies on BTS specifically cultural
symbols references in the context of local wisdom and advices are hardly
found in literature. Therefore, the findings of this study are expected to be
useful information and are contributable to the development the sciences
and our nation moral in order to create a cultural nation.
c. For the need and the development of sciences and the teaching in the
classes, it is hoped that the findings of this research could be a trigger to
the expert on Buginese language (Linguists) and the expert on culture
(Humanists) to write “A Buginese–Indonesian Dictionary” and “A
Buginese–Indonesian–English Dictionary”.
d. Since “Pappaseng” has an important role in Buginese daily life particularly
in doing his/her job, it is very important to put it as a general subject earlier
at Junior or Senior High School and then at the High University. Therefore,
“Pappaseng” can be the basic or fundament of the development of our
country later particularly in creating a civilized country for the future not be
an uncivilized society (sianre balē tauwē – Homo Hominy Lupus).
e. “Pappaseng” besides conveyed through BTS, it is also be better to
convey through the media of advertisement on TV, Radio, Newspaper,
Magazine, Brochure or Pamphlet, billboards, and cultural activities.
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2. Recommendations for further related research
a. There are many more Buginese poetic/traditional songs may have
advices. They may have many cultural symbols that must be analyzed and
revealed their significant meanings. Semiotics is a study of signs or the
system of sign analysis that could be a grand theory.
b. The ten non-narrative songs have both oral text and written text. In singing
a song, a singer is singing accompanied by lute (Kecapi). Pakkacapi is
playing kecapi while singing BTS at the same time, a researcher is
suggested to record the performance of the singer and that become the
object of research.
c. The data of signs and the cultural symbols achieved could be the
reference data for the next research in developing the theory of semiotics,
especially in both literary semiotics and cultural semiotics.
d. The local wisdom still needs some researches to enrich the reference,
because we can put it as the main basis to build our nation and country in
order to be cultural nation and country.
e. It is hoped, there will be some continued researches about Buginese
Traditional Songs that talk about anti-violence, harshness, foolishness,
and destitution, which need to be discussed for the need of education and
the improvement of nation moral.
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3. Recommendations for the Authority/Government
a. The leaders should master the meaning of cultural symbols and convey
them to his staff, for example, the meaning of “unganna panasaē”–lempū
and “bēlo kanukuē”–paccing. These two cultural symbols could be selfdefense for not doing negative actions, such as involved in graft.
b. The leaders should know the relevant of marriage, inauguration, and
political contexts with the cultural symbols that are derived from the
traditional cakes, such as “onde-onde, suwella, buronggo” that function as
prayers for welfare, prosperity, success, and safety of our nation and
country.
c. The government institutions, legislative, judicative, executive assembly,
arm forces institutions and police, religious institutions, ethnics or
community leaders, and teachers must convey our ancestral advices
through the activities or meetings inside or outside of the class to all
Buginese in particular and other people in general for the safety of all of
us.