Semiotic in Lyrics and Perception of Community of Nagari Suayan
on Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih
Hasnul Fikri, Syofiani Syofiani and Lolita Lestari
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Bung Hatta, Padang, Indonesia
Keywords: Semiotic code, people's perception, lyrics, Saluang.
Abstract: This research aimed to describe the codes and their meanings that are used in the Saluang Ratok Suayan
Anguih lyrics and the perception of Nagari Suayan community on Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih. This
research used descriptive qualitative method, while community perceptions were analyzed using simple
statistics. The data of this study are the words in the lyrics of Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih and responses of
informants to questionnaire or interview. Based on data analysis, it is concluded that: First, there are three
semiotic codes, namely denotation, connotation, and myth in the lyric. The semiotic codes are used to describe
the suffering of people due the fire that hit their country. Second, the younger informants are unfamiliar with
the Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih, while the older ones are more familiar with it. It is because the fire event
told in Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih occurred long-long time ago and this storytelling is getting less and less
performed.
1 INTRODUCTION
Literature as a branch of art is an integral part of
culture. Literature has become part of the experience
of human life, both from the human aspect that
utilizes it for the life experience as well as from the
aspect of its creation that expresses humans’ inner
experience into the literary work. Literary works
reveal human and humanity concerns about the
meaning of life and life itself. They describe human
suffering, struggles, affection, and hatred, passions
and everything that people experience (Ahadiat,
2007). In line with this, Ratna (2007) said that the
literary work is fiction or more often called
imagination. Imagination in literature is based on the
fact that others also imagine it. In essence, literary
work is a fiction of real life and the issues raised in
literature are therefore human problems.
The Minangkabau community is rich in oral
traditions that produce various forms of art and
literature, one of which is kaba. Kaba is told to
audiences through performances brought by kaba
mason with certain characteristics occasionally
accompanied by musical instruments saluang and
rebab (Gozali, 2012). One form of oral literature
found in Nagari Suayan, Sub-district of Akabiluru,
District of Lima Puluh Kota, is saluang. Many
saluangs are found in Nagari Suayan, one of which is
saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih (in the next description
abbreviated with SRSA). SRSA lyrics is a literary
work created by a saluang singer (pendendang)
named Gadih, a native from Nagari Suayan. The
lyrics of Saluang tell the story of the nagari or village
and the people of Suayan during the fire accident that
destroyed their village several years ago. Because
Gadih who created the lyrics saluang has died, SRSA
is later popularized by Si E, one of the saluang singers
from Payakumbuh located about 15 kms from Negeri
Suayan.
SRSA's lyrics are fascinating to examine because
in addition to telling the factual events that occurred
in Nagari Suayan during fire accident, this saluang
lyrics also have many symbol used by the author to
convey meaning. Therefore, the approach that can be
used in this research is semiotic approach.
In addition to analyzing the signs contained in
SRSA's lyrics, the present perceptions of society
towards saluang are also interesting to study. The
literary receptions in question is how the "reader"
gives meaning to literary works that are read or heard
so as to give a reaction or response to the literature
that she or he enjoys.
This study aims to describe: (1) the signs used in
the lyrics of SRSA, (2) the meaning of the signs used
in the lyrics of SRSA, and (3) the perception of
530
Fikri, H., Syofiani, S. and Lestari, L.
Semiotic in Lyrics and Perception of Community of Nagari Suayan on Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih.
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences (ICES 2017) - Volume 1, pages 530-534
ISBN: 978-989-758-314-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

Nagari Suayan community, in Sub-district of
Akabiluru, District of Lima Puluh Kota towards
SRSA.
2 RESEARCH METHODS
The type of research used is qualitative research with
descriptive method. According to Moleong (2010),
qualitative research is as a research procedure that
produces descriptive data in the form of written or
oral words of the people and behavior that can be
observed. Furthermore, according to Moleong (2010)
qualitative research is a study that intends to
understand the phenomenon of what is experienced
by research subjects such as behavior, perception,
motivation, action, etc. holistically and by way of
description in the form of words and language, on a
unique, natural context and by utilizing natural
methods. The data collection steps in this study were
(1) directly recording SRSA lyrics from the singer,
(2) reading, understanding and collecting data from
other sources such as downloading SRSA video, (3)
recording and marking data relating to the research
object and (4) Providing questionnaires and
conducting interviews with the community. The steps
used in analyzing the data are as follows: (1)
Identifying data about the signs contained in the lyrics
SRSA. (2) Analyzing signs that have meaning in
accordance with the aspects studied by using semiotic
theory. (3) Identifying the public perception of Nagari
Suayan, Sub-district of Akabiluru, District of Lima
Puluh Kota, about SRSA lyrics by using simple
statistics.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 The Signs and the Meaning of the
Signs Used in the Lyrics of SRSA
The human and life problems presented in the
literature are presented using a language that is
actually a sign system. Hoed (2004) states that
semiotics is the study of systems, rules, and
conventions that allow signs to be meaningful.
According to Sobur (2012) semiotic is the science of
signs. It considers that social phenomena or societies
and cultures are signs. The semiotics studies the
systems, the rules, the conventions that allow them to
have meaning. Thus, literary works as a system of
signs that have systems, rules, and conventions can be
analyzed in semiotics. According to Abdurahman
(2012) semiotic as an approach to the analysis of
literary works required its application in literary
research as a continuation of the structural approach.
Because the objective of this research is to express
the meaning contained in the signs used in the SRSA
lyrics, the theory used in this research is the semiotic
theory of literature proposed by Roland Barthes (in
Hoed, 2008). This theory is one theory that is
considered to reveal the meaning of signs contained
in the lyrics of SRSA. In his theory, Barthes develops
semiotics into two levels of signification, namely
denotation and connotation. Denotation is a level of
signification that explains the relationship of
signifiers and markers of reality, producing explicit,
direct and definite meaning. The connotation is a
level of signification that explains the relationship of
signifiers and markers in which operate meaning is
not explicit, indirect and uncertain. Barthes also saw
another aspect of the tagging of "myth". The "myth"
according to Barthes lies at the second level of signs,
so after a sign-signifier-signified system has been
established, the sign will become a new marker which
then has a second marker and a new sign. Therefore,
when a sign that has the connotation meaning then
develops into the meaning of denotation, then the
meaning of denotation will be a myth (Hoed 2008).
Based on data collection, there were 102 semiotic
codes which consist of (1) denotation meaning, 32
data, (2) connotation, 52 data, and (3) myth meaning,
18 data. One data can have more than one semiotic
code. The following are examples of the three types
and meanings of signs used in the SRSA.
Quote 1:
Nan disabik daun sikarau bari taranak Mak.
Nangko mangkonyo aiik.
('Then the leaves of sikarau was cut by using a
sickle to be given to the cattle, mother, so it is [the
case]').
Quote 1 conveys the meaning of denotation,
connotation, and myth. The significance of
denotation is seen from the use of the word leaves of
sikarau which states really leaves the sikarau given
for feeding the cattle. The meaning of connotation is
seen from the claim that the leaves of sikarau
commonly used as medicines, then at that time was
given to feed the cattle. It illustrates how difficult life
was, because if it is taken by leaves to feed the cattle,
meaning that the grass commonly used for fodder is
scarce. The meaning of myths seen from the use of
the word leaves of sikarau which usually grows in the
fields or where muddy water that always flooded.
Local people believe that sikarau leaves can be used
as a febrifuge. If the leaves of sikarau were used for
Semiotic in Lyrics and Perception of Community of Nagari Suayan on Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih
531

animal food, then it signifies the life of people at that
time was difficult.
Quote 2:
Nan kok sakik badan di rantau tak ado urang
maunikan oiii.
('If you get sick in elsewhere, no one is looking
after you').
Quote 2 conveys the meaning of denotation,
connotation, and myth. The meaning of denotation is
seen in the statement that if you are sick on the rantau
or other places or towns where you make a living, no
one is looking after you for it means that in the rantau
usually it is difficult to find people to accompany,
especially if there is no family and relatives there. The
meaning of connotation is seen from the statement of
the feeling of pain when someone is faraway form his
or her home village. This revelation illustrates that in
the overseas it is more difficult to interact with
unknown persons, in contrast to life in their own
hometown surrounded by people whom they have
known for life. In addition, a sense of togetherness
and mutual care for each other is also more felt when
living in the home village itself. Myths seen in the
statement "sick in rantau", because it has become a
belief and many occur in the middle of community
life, if one does not have a lot of money will be
difficult to live life in rantau. Especially if you get
sick, it would be hard to find acquaintance to
accompany, because life is usually more difficult and
hard, and there is no place to depend. If you live in
your own village, although you have no relatives,
your neighbors still have a great deal of caring with
each other.
Quote 3:
Anak urang Suayan Tinggi nampak nan dari luak
dari di kida Ranah Pandakian.
('A child of the Suayan Tinggi people is seen
coming home from the bathing place of the left of
the hilly land).
Quote 3 contains the meaning of denotation and
connotation. The meaning of denotation is seen from
the use of the word luak (bathing place), states the
actual situation of the people of Suayan Tinggi who
came home from luak (bathing place) to the left of
hilly land area. The meaning of connotation is seen
from the statement of home from the badger from the
left of the hilly realm, illustrating the water difficulty
experienced by the Suayan people thus making them
have to travel a great distance to the hilly area for
basic needs. In addition, for the inhabitants of this
community who came from Suayan Tinggi, to get
water is very difficult and they have to go far to hilly
area, whereas the distance that must be taken is very
far and the walkway is steep, but in order to get their
water needs, they must be willing through all the
challenges. In this quote there is no myth, because
there are no words that describe a belief or event that
is believed to occur in society.
From the results of data analysis of SRSA lyrics
that have been done, each stanza in SRSA contained
elements of semiotic, denotation, connotation, and /
or myth. This is in line with the basic concept of
semiotics that directs and demands the reader to
manage accepted symbols for use as a means of
understanding oneself or in measuring actions related
to life and social life. This fact shows that the
Minangkabau people tend to indirectly convey
meaning. Riswara (2012) stated that the poetic words
used in the lyrics of saluang reflect some parts of
Minangkabau characteristics, such as the way of how
Minangkabau people socially relating with families
and with other community members.
Overall, the semiotics contained in the lyrics in
SRSA is used by the author to convey the meaning of
the suffering of people's lives due to a fire incident
that struck one nagari. All occurrences and suffering
are delivered through semiotic symbols. This is in line
with the notion of semiotics as the study of signs in
human life, meaning that everything present in life is
seen as a sign that must be given meaning. In SRSA
saluang lyrics, there are also many signs of culture
that can be given meaning. In line with this finding,
according to Gozali (2012), kaba that sometimes
accompanied by musical instruments saluang and
rebab usually tells of past events and there is also a
story that is delivered is a contemporary occurrence
In addition to telling about suffering, saluang is
also used to entertain. This is disclosed Sukmawati
(2008) that bagurau saluang and dendang
performances is a musical performance combined
with the power of pantun-pantun sung by the
accompaniment of musical instrument saluang. There
are hundreds of saluang song titles that can be sung
throughout the night, ranging from songs that are
joyous and entertaining to songs with a sad tone
(ratok) with pantun-pantun full of lamentation.
According to Sastra (in Sukmawati, 2008) there are
nine functions performances bagurau saluang and
dendang, namely: (a) aesthetic dialogue forums; (b)
means of communication; (c) the function of
emotional expression; (d) means of integrating
society; (e) means of cultural continuity; (f) economic
functions; (g) cultural learning; and (h) means of
generating conflict. In wider point of view, oral
traditions are rich sources to knowing events in real
life. The same is found in Swanson's study (2008)
which concluded that Hawaiian oral traditions are
rich sources of eruption information and deserve
ICES 2017 - 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences
532

much closer examination than preferably by
volcanology and the Hawaiian language.
3.2 The Perception of Nagari Suayan
Community, in Sub-district of
Akabiluru, District of Lima Puluh
Kota towards SRSA
Emzir (2015) suggests that literary receptions mean
receiving or enjoying literary works by the reader.
Reception is a flow that examines the literary text
with a starting point to the reader who reacts or
responds to the text. In this case, the researcher will
examine the response of the audience towards SRSA.
After analyzing the data about public perception
of SRSA, it can be concluded that the younger the age
of the audience, the more they are unfamiliar to SRSA
and vice versa the older the age of the audience, the
more familiar they are with SRSA. This trend can be
seen in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Percentage of Public Perceptions and Age Classification of Informants
Figure 1 shows that informants aged over 60 years
in the knowledge aspect occupy the most
recognizable position of the SRSA, followed by 41-
60 years old, 21-40 years old, and 10-20 years old
respectively. The same sequence also occurs in the
aspects of experience, interests, habits and
motivation, while on the aspect of balanced need
between 10-20 year old and 21-40 year old, in both,
informants are slightly lower than informants aged
41-60 and above 60 years.
This tendency is caused by fire incidents that
become the content of SRSA has been very long
happened, so the younger the audience, the more they
are unfamiliar with SRSA. Technological advances
widely used by the younger generation are also
factors that affect the development of SRSA. Another
factor is the pendendang or the singer or resource
person who knows the SRSA has died, even the
complete archive of SRSA has not been available so
it is increasingly difficult to introduce to young
people about SRSA, whether its history or lyrical
content.
This finding is also in line with the results of the
Fikri (2015) study entitled "Tradition of Story Telling
and Character Education Values in Folklore of
Mungka Sub-district of Lima Puluh Kota, in West
Sumatera Province". Among the findings of this study
is there is a decline since there are not many story
tellers who tell and or teach it to the enthusiasts or
future generations. Secondly, in the story-telling
aspect, there is a shift from centering on local folklore
and other areas in Minangkabau to local folktales in
other provinces, even from abroad, as well as from
the tradition of verbally telling by family members
and teachers to study told by formal school teacher,
reading material, and live performance.
With this tendency, it is reasonable to argue that
the tradition of telling stories, including through the
SRSA, will disappear from society. Conditions like
this are very apprehensive. In one hand, SRSA is a
wealth of Minangkabau culture, on other hand this
kind of storytelling tradition is very potential as a
source and learning media. Through watching SRSA,
students have materials and models in storytelling.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
usia 10-20 tahun 21-40 tahun 41-60 tahun > 60 tahun
Series1
Series2
Series3
Series4
Series5
Series6
Semiotic in Lyrics and Perception of Community of Nagari Suayan on Saluang Ratok Suayan Anguih
533

Research conducted by Caminotti and Gray (2012)
states that storytelling is effective for adult learners.
Tanners’ research (2016) concluded that telling and
interpreting stories is a powerful way to make sense
of experience, glean insight and contribute to
knowledge. This is especially true in evaluating and
understanding the complex work of teaching and
learning.
Different from this study and the study conducted
by Fikri (2015), the research results of Febrimawati
et.al. (2012) indicates that there are differences in
public perception in appreciating saluang dangdut.
These differences can be influenced by one's talents
and interests towards a work of art, but are still within
from good to excellent range. The organizers have
good judgment, neighbors/relatives have very good
judgment, and the guests have excellent judgment to
this art performance.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of research and discussion, it can
be concluded that firstly, each stanza of the SRSA
contains semiotic signs: denotation, connotation, and
/ or myth. These semiotic signs are used by the author
to convey the meaning of the suffering of people's
lives due to a fire incident that struck one nagari.
Secondly, the younger the age of the audience, the
more unfamiliar they are with SRSA and vice versa
the older the age of the audience, the more familiar
they are with the SRSA. It is reasonable to assert that
the tradition of telling stories, including through the
SRSA, will disappear from society.
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