ANALISIS SIMBOLIK DALAM TRADISI ROTO GAJA LUMPAT PADA MASYARAKAT BATAK TOBA: KAJIAN ANTROPOLINGUISTIK

Abstract

This study was motivated by the declining understanding among the Batak Toba community, particularly the younger generation, of the symbolic meanings embedded in the Roto Gaja Lumpat tradition, an important ritual performed during the Saur Matua funeral ceremony. The research aimed to describe the forms of performance, analyze the indexical meanings of ritual symbols, and examine patterns of social participation within the tradition. This study employed a descriptive qualitative method using Alessandro Duranti’s anthropolinguistic approach. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation conducted in Garoga Sibargot Village, Garoga District, North Tapanuli Regency. The findings reveal that the performance aspect of the Roto Gaja Lumpat tradition is manifested through customary utterances and ritual stages, including Tahi Tataring, Tonggo Raja, family gatherings, Mompo, and Tariak, which function as media for deliberation, customary legitimacy, respect for the deceased, and the transmission of cultural values. The indexical meanings are reflected in ritual symbols such as ijuk, hotang, coconut trunks, elephant heads, jambar ulu, and ceremonial banners, which signify social identity, customary authority, solidarity, and aspirations for the continuity of life. Furthermore, social participation involves the active roles of Dalihan Na Tolu and Raja panusunan bulung, who perform their responsibilities according to the customary structure. The study concludes that language, symbols, and cultural practices form an integrated system that preserves and reinforces the cultural identity of the Batak Toba community.