Local Wisdom and Function in Burung Pipit Ajaib Folklore and Its
Existence as a Reflection of the National Culture on Modernization
Era
Sri Kusnita, Sarwiji Suwandi, Muhammad Rohmadi and Nugraheni Eko Wardani
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
Keywords: Local Wisdom, Social Function, National Culture.
Abstract: The study is aimed at describing the wisdom and social functions in the Burung Pipit Ajaib folklore and its
existence as a reflection of the nation’s culture in the modernization era. The existence of folklore as a
reflection of the national culture needs to get attention from society because it delivers the moral messages
which related to the norms, customs, and traditions that can be conveyed by the teacher at school or by
parents to their children at home. The study used a descriptive qualitative method by literary anthropology
approach. The data source is informant, Mukrim Ikram, as the story teller. The folklore was used Melayu
Sambas West Borneo folklore entitled of Burung Pipit Ajaib. Based on the research findings it can be
concluded that, first, the wisdom value which related to divinity is affection. Then, the local wisdom values
were related to the personality 1) patience, 2) honesty, 3) hard work. Second, social functions in Burung
Pipit Ajaib story can be used as 1) education, 2) entertaining, 3) self-identity. Besides that, the existence of
folklore is still strongly needed as a reflection of national culture which is useful in re-introducing the value
of local wisdom owned by the ancestors of Indonesian national to the young generation.
1 INTRODUCTION
Modernization was caused the emergence of a new
civilization that can destruction of nonmaterial
civilization as a reflection of Indonesian culture such
as Melayu Sambas folklore began to be forgotten
and began marginalized by the younger generation.
The younger generation would prefer to be with
their mobile and laptop. This would lead to ignoring
the folklores. Although, there were studies that
helped in the process of dissemination of the
folklore but to ensure that younger generation favor
the stories would be a difficult task (Rahim, Affendi,
and Pawi, 2017, p. 32). Therefore, this kind of view
must be immediately transferred by re-actualizing
the Indonesian culture, especially oral literature such
as Melayu Sambas folklore that has the content of
functions and local wisdom that is very relevant to
the substance of Melayu Sambas society and the
Indonesian people are universally very fundamental.
The cultural peculiarities of society members are
including the way of life, especially in regulating the
social actions of their citizens, belief systems, social
heritage, and physical environment (Zekriady, 2008,
p. 295; Wang and Long, 2014, p. 91).
One of the Indonesian cultures is the Melayu
Sambas culture that is found in West Kalimantan
Province. Melayu Sambas is a tribe that inhabits the
western north coast of West Kalimantan. In general,
Melayu Sambas culture cannot be separated from the
Islamic teachings. Malay people teach culture to
their people through oral literature (folklore).
Folklore is an intrinsic part of our daily lives that
introduces an understanding of the culture and
folklore is also an informal culture studies
emphasize two main ideas, namely, members of
groups participating in the tradition, and belief
system group.
Folklore is one of the cultural expressions that
lived and developed into the possessions of society
in the past that are maintained by their hereditary
supporters. Janthaluc and Ounjit (2012, p. 219) were
explained that folklore consists of stories that have
been passed on to become an important cultural
heritage. There are many things that we can get from
folklore about the culture community, especially the
local wisdom and the function of folklore.
538
Kusnita, S., Suwandi, S., Rohmadi, M. and Wardani, N.
Local Wisdom and Function in Burung Pipit Ajaib Folklore and Its Existence as a Reflection of the National Culture on Modernization Era.
DOI: 10.5220/0007170505380541
In Proceedings of the Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference
on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education (CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017) - Literacy, Culture, and Technology in Language Pedagogy and Use, pages 538-541
ISBN: 978-989-758-332-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

Furthermore, according to Fatimah, Sulistiyo, and
Saddhono (2017, p. 181) the value of local wisdom
was derived from the society’s thought that have
long been believed as a good knowledge. The
thinking and the behavior of people who are based
on the values of local wisdom are assumed to be
able in creating happiness and peaceful life for each
people in the society. Alus (2014, p. 2) was argued
that local wisdom can be understood as wisdom of
local idea and knowledge, good-value and virtuous,
possessed, guided and practiced by all members of
the community. Furthermore, Pornpimon, Wallapha,
and Prayuth (2014, p. 628) stated that local wisdom
suggests cultural identity in the local as well as
knowledge of local constructive party ideas to take
advantage of people to sustain their livelihood in the
blessed society.
Fatimah, Sulistiyo, and Saddhono (2017)
described the value of local wisdom in the Sayu
Wiwit folklore in the form of confidence, creative,
and never give up. The research method was used
descriptive qualitative method. The difference of this
study from previous research is this study not only
described the local wisdom value but also review the
function of folklore. The next difference is the
research approach. This study was used literary
anthropology approach used in previous research.
This paper was based on thinking to revealing
Melayu Sambas culture in order to be unforgotten by
the people themselves and also can be known by
many people. The research purpose was described
the wisdom and social functions in the Burung Pipit
Ajaib folklore and its existence as a reflection of the
nation’s culture in the modernization era. The
research advantage is Melayu Sambas folklore can
be a reference in the life of the society.
2 METHODS
This study was used descriptive qualitative method.
The research approach was used literary
anthropology. Robson, Sumara and Luce-Kapler
(2011, p. 5) reveals that literary anthropology aims
to use literary identification and interpretation as a
site for collect and subject to critical analysis the
emergence of personal and public expression and
expression of identity. The research steps including
of a) data collection, data was collected by recording
technique. Data source is informant as storyteller
that is Mr. Mukrim Ikram. The research data is the
folklore of Melayu Sambas West Kalimantan
entitled of Burung Pipit Ajaib. b) The next step with
the interview. Interviews were conducted by meet
the informants; c) analysis and interpretation,
namely activities to understand the elements studied,
the conception and the relationship between
elements systematically every element under study;
d) drawing conclusions, formulated and inference of
analysis and interpretation.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Melayu Sambas society was constructed local
wisdom as a cultural reflection. Musanna (2011, p.
593) was explained there are five categories of local
wisdom: first, wisdom in the form of a view of life;
secondly, the wisdom in the form of social attitude
and counsel expressed in the form of proverbs,
parables, pantun (poetry), poems and folklore; third,
the wisdom in the form of traditional ceremonies;
fourth, the wisdom in the form of principles, norms,
and rules formed into a social system, and fifth, the
wisdom in the form of social habits. In this research,
local wisdom was focused on social life attitude and
advices were expressed in the folklore.
The function of folklore is important for society
because it encompasses all knowledge, values,
behavior, assumptions, feelings, and beliefs
scattered in oral form. Related to that, Bascom (in
Danandjaja, 2015, p. 82) was mentioned the function
of folklore for human life, including of 1) projective
system; 2) as entertaining means; 3) validating
culture; 4) as child education means; and 5) as
means of applying social pressure and exercising
social control).
3.1 Local Wisdom of Melayu Sambas
Society in the Burung Pipit Ajaib
Folklore
3.1.1 Local Wisdom Related to the Divinity
Values
The divinity values were contained in the Burung
Pipit Ajaib folklore related to the Islamic teachings.
Therefore, local wisdom that contained in folklore
cannot be separated from the Islamic teachings.
Every religion was taught about affection both with
fellow human beings and with other living beings.
Amaluddin (2010, p. 52) was stated that value of
affection or love is very important for the harmony
of human life throughout the universe. In Islam it is
forbidden to kill animals because it is a creation of
God who has the right to live in this universe.
Rashid (2005, p. 233) was stated that according to
Islam man must be guided relationship between man
Local Wisdom and Function in Burung Pipit Ajaib Folklore and Its Existence as a Reflection of the National Culture on Modernization Era
539

and God, what is prohibited by God becomes a
matter that must be avoided by human. On the
contrary, what commands needs to be done as well
as possible.
3.1.2 Local Wisdom Related to the
Personality Values
The personality value that appears in the Burung
Pipit Ajaib folklore is patience. Patience is an
important thing that must be possessed by human
beings because human beings as God’s creatures
must always try and endeavor to become a better
human being. The character of the story is resistant
to trials. The younger brother is always complying
with his brother’s wishes but he is not dying to put
heartache on his brother. According to Asis (2015, p.
139) patience means resistant to trials, undespair, not
hurry and not impetuous. Meanwhile patience
related to peace of mind in face the trials.
The other personality values were contained in
the story is the value of honesty. According to
Lickona (2015, p. 74) honest is a behavior based on
the effort to make himself as a person who can
always be trusted in words and actions. The honesty
of the figure in the story because tell the event that
experienced from the beginning to the younger sister
getting the golden egg after she ate the sparrow.
Nowadays people rarely want to tell the truth about
what they do. Furthermore, the other personality
values were contained in the Burung Pipit Ajaib
folklore are hard work. According Subiyantoro
(2012, p. 106) hard work is the behavior that shown
the effort in earnest (fight to the death) in
completing various tasks, problems, work, and so
forth as well as possible. In the story was described
that this family has the nature of hard work because
the father is not only doing one job to meet the
family needs.
3.2 The Function of the Burung Pipit
Ajaib Folklore in the Social Life of
Melayu Sambas Society
3.2.1 Serves as Education Means
Folklore was often interpreted as a result of many
cultural expressions containing moral and truth
teachings. According Humaeni (2012, p. 168) which
revealed that folklore has a function to educate
children because folklore serves as a tool to control
the morale and behavior of society. The story of
“Burung Pipit Ajaib” has a function as education
means because in it contained moral teaching that as
a human must have affection, honest, patient, and
work hard. These traits should be taught by parents
to their children so that children have a noble
character. Therefore, the Burung Pipit Ajaib story is
very worthy told to the children because in addition
to maintaining the existence of folklore but also be
used as means of moral values introduction.
3.2.2 Serves as entertainment means
Folklore one of culture form from the results of oral
literature also can be used as entertainment means.
The story was considered entertaining because
folklore is a literary work created based on the desire
to get a beautiful set of language (Firdaus, 2013, p.
42). The Burung Pipit Ajaib story has an
entertaining function because it can be directly
perceived by listening or telling. This is related to
the old Melayu Sambas habits, this story is often
used as a means to entertain their grandchildren
because there is a part of the story when the story
telling process should be sung.
3.2.3 Serves as the Self-Identity
As a system that exists in the life of society, the fact
or reality of the influence created from a story needs
to be realized. Firdaus (2013, p.42) was stated that
folklore as self-identity is a literary work that makes
itself a place where humanity values are naturally
held, preserved and disseminated, especially in the
midst of modern life marked with advances in
science and technology. In the story of Burung Pipit
Ajaib was appeared the identity of Melayu Sambas
society that it has a kinship and friendliness to the
Melayu Sambas society or other community.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Folklore as cultural reflection has local wisdom and
function for its society, including Melayu Sambas
society. Based on findings on local wisdom and
social functions in the Burung Pipit Ajaib story can
be summarized as follows. First, the local wisdom
was related to the divinity is the affection value.
Furthermore, the local wisdom values were related
to the personality value (1) patient, (2) honest, and
(3) hard work. Secondly, the social function in the
Burung Pipit Ajaib story can be used as a means of
(1) educating, (2) entertaining, and (3) self-identity.
One of way to deal with the modernization era is
that parents should introduce local wisdom to their
children so that the culture of the Indonesian nation
is not forgotten by the next generation. This can be
done in a simple way that is by storytelling. The
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
540

existence of folklore is still indispensable in modern
life because through the story, the local wisdom
values were expected to be a reflection of culture
and become the young people’s life view so they do
not forgot their nationhood identity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Alhamdulillah, praise to Allah SWT for the
blessings and gift, this article can be completed on
time. In addition, the authors also convey thanks to
the promoters who have given a lot of advice to the
author to complete this article.
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