Typography Analysis of Ternate Sufistic Literature

Muamar Abd. Halil

, Syihabuddin Syihabuddin

and Sumiyadi Sumiyadi

Khairun University, Ternate City North Maluku, Indonesia

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229, Bandung, Indonesia

amarkampus@yahoo.co.id, {syihabuddin, sumiyadi}@upi.ediu

Keywords: Literature Typography, Ternate Sufistic Literature.

Abstract: This study aims to describe the typography of Ternate Sufistic literature which is found in the eight Ternate

oral literature. This research using qualitative descriptive method. The data analysis conducted through

descriptive and content analysis. The results of the study can be described as follows: a) Ternate typography

Sufistic literature mainly found in poetry form, b) typography of Ternate Sufistic literature using uppercase

and small letters completely, c) Ternate typography Sufistic literature using comma as punctuation, but not

end with point punctuation, d) Ternate typography Sufistic literature has stanza and it has also sentences, e)

Ternate typography Sufistic literature uses all capital letters in certain words, and f) Ternate typography

Sufistic literature placement of poems using left equity.

1 INTRODUCTION

In Islam history, the position of poetry and the role

of the poet often can be controversial especially by

the scholars. The poetic expressions of the Sufistic

have often led to disagreements among scholars

because the language of solid and symbolic poetry

typically leads to various interpretations and

misinterpretations (Hadi, 2001). The letters are also

identical with symbols, so to reveal the symbols can

be done with typographic studies. According to

Maharsi (2013), typography is the art of designing,

creating, selecting and sorting, organizing and

organizing letters in all aspects of the provision

which includes himself and is closely related to

aesthetics and effective communication because it is

able to represent the concepts and core messages

conveyed through character as well as the

characteristics of the letters it has.

Typographically, the form of poetry is different

from the form of prose. poetry is not bound by any

model. The poet is free to choose the visual form of

the verse. The verses compiled by the poet are the

bond of the line / line and the words are arranged

with certain rhymes. This arrangement by itself will

form the element of typography.

Typography of poetry is a visual form that can

give additional meaning and its form can be found in

a kind of concrete poem. Typography of the form

there is a variety of graphics, pyramids, calligraphy,

zigzag, capitalization, equity left or right, cone and

so forth. Typography gives a characteristic to a

literary work (poetry) and characteristic in a certain

period of generation, as well as the oral literature

that exists in the archipelago.

In Indonesian archipelago, Sufism or Sufi

experts from the beginning have played an important

role in the spread of religion. Their role increasingly

prominent in the 14th-18th century and in the 70s of

Indonesian literature, especially poetry began to be

entered into the theme of religious literature and

spiritualism. Islamic literary culture began to rise

again because of the role of the former poets. This

culture lasted until now. According to Alisjahbana in

Marzali (2014) culture is a realization or product of

the evaluating capacity of the human mind. Based on

the culture that literary work at that time began to

voice the feelings of divine love and prophetic spirit

that leads to transcendental intensity. As found in the

works of Sutardji CalzoumBachri, Supardi Djoko

Damono, Abdul Hadi W. M, M, Fudzoli Zaini, and

others as writers who always hold the theme of

Sufism. Sufic literature is a literary work in which

elaborated ideals, beliefs, and attributes which is

derived from the world of Sufism (Sudardi, 2001).

The used ‘Sufistik’ word in this article by the

author is based on the previous researcher

commonly use it, they prefer to use Sufi literature in

discussing about the Sufi’ poet only.

Halil, M., Syihabuddin, S. and Sumiyadi, S.

Typography Analysis of Ternate Suﬁstic Literature.

DOI: 10.5220/0007174107310736

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 731-736

ISBN: 978-989-758-332-2

731

The Islam came to Ternate in the 12th until 13th

centuries is marked by the legend of the Seven

Daughters. In the legend of the Seven Daughters this

main character is Djafar Sadik. Djafar Sadik is

declared as mubalik of Arab. The youngest son of

Djafar Sadik named Sultan Cico or Masyhur

Malamo became the first Sultan since 1257 (Cultural

Media Development Project, Directorate General of

Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture of the

Republic of Indonesia around Ternate Tradition,

p.81). The first Sultan built Islamic tradition

emerged in Ternate. One of them is Ternate Sufistic

literature.

Hermawan (2015) describes that literary works

created by writers are to be enjoyed, understood, and

utilized by the community. From this sense of

thought, encouragement arose to express the views

of old generation of Ternate. According to their

posterity who is still left in their minds, Ternate

tradition is philosophy, which is contained in the

form of poetry, traditional poetry has good structure

and depth of meaning.

Speech which has philosophical means relics of

ancestral culture was strived expressed in the form

of writing for its sustainability. According to the old

Ternate people (the past), the beginnings of life

began from two human figures, men and women,

gathered in the household, produced family, then

increased to a large family called the clan, and

continued to the tribe. From associations or

associations such as family, community and ethnic

groups, then born a culture in which there is oral

tradition and oral literature. So from that speech we

can understand the culture of the people of Ternate,

such as in Baan (2015) through cultural expression

in the speech, can be understood the culture of the

speaker.

In Ternate, there are 8 (eight) oral literature in

the form of poetry, they are; 1) Dolabololo, 2) Dalif

Tifa, 3) Moro Theorem, 4) Rorasa, 5) Mantra, 6)

Cum-Cum, 7) Tamsil, and 8) Pandara. These eight

oral literatures not only have the element of beauty

alone but have good information and cultural values,

as a form of cultural expression of the owner's

community, oral literature contains not only

elements beauty (aesthetic), but also contains

various information cultural values of the tradition

concerned.

Literature uses language as its medium.

Koentjaraningrat in Nur (2014) says that language is

part of the culture. Therefore, local culture as a

manifestation of national culture needs to be

preserved. Similarly, to the Ternate sufistic literature

and to reveal the form of Ternate sufistic literature.

There are some reasons in doing this research, such

as; first, study literature Sufistik not buns and

marinate itsself from the study of oral literature.

Second, the study of oral Ternate sufistic literature

expected to respond the inwardness problems,

especially in religion (aqidha), faith, and fear from

god. Third, the study of literature has not been found

yet in Ternate Sufistik literature studies. Fourth, to

present the Ternate Sufistik literature. Fifth find a

typography of Ternate Sufistik literature. This study

is conducted to answer the question of "how is the

typography of Ternate Sufistic literature?" This

study aims to describe the typography of Ternate

Sufistic literature through eight oral literature of

Ternate.

2 METHODOLOGY

The method of this research is descriptive method by

using a qualitative approach. The qualitative method

as a procedure to produce numbers descriptively, in

written or spoken of the people or which observed

this research by using interview, documentation, and

observation. Main data sources in this research was

oral literature of Ternate which consisted of eight

parts: 1) Dolabololo, 2) Dalil Moro; 3 ) Dalil Tifa, 4)

Pandara, 5) Mantra, 6 ) Rorasa, 7) Tamsil, and 8)

Cum-cum. Data analysis was used descriptive

approach and content analysis.

3 DISSCUSION

3.1 Typography in Poetry

The term "typography" comes from the Greek word

which is a combination of two words, namely tupos,

meaning letters and graphia intended for illustration.

Typography can be interpreted as "One field of

literary arts and layout" (Harun, 2006). Rustan

(2010) stated that typography is interpreted as "all

disciplines with respect to letters." Letters into

something that has a double meaning, the letters can

be something that can be seen, readable, has an

explicit meaning and implied.

Typography serves as 'communication

communication' (written communication) and 'visual

communication' (visual communication). So the

letter is the text and also the symbol. It is from these

texts and symbols that bring about different

processes of meaning. Capital letters in a word can

have a difference in meaning when the capital letters

are only at the beginning of words with capital

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

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letters in all words. Likewise, with the punctuation

or the pressure of the sound up and down sounds in

spoken language. Therefore, typography has an

important role in the process of meaning in a text or

symbol. Typography serves to create messages and

serves as a medium in communication between

people with each other. Typography also expresses

emotion and excitement (Clark, 2005). Typography

is not just about communication in a clinical sense; it

is really about expressing emotion or grandeur ...

whether it's lyric poetry or death metal lyrics or love

notes, it really does need to express, really does need

to capture the spirit of the moment.

Typography or percolation of poetry can be

glimpsed in the form of words, arrays, and stanzas.

The rows are arranged downward and tied in verses.

Many words, arrays and stanzas are determined by

the overall meaning of poetry the poet wants to

write. Thus, a verse of poetry can consist of a single

word or even a single letter. In the case of the

writing of poetry does not always have to be written

from the left edge and ends on the right edge as a

general form of writing. The composition of writing

in poetry is called typography (Pradopo, 1990).

Typography also as a tool to visualize the poem,

its role is to look at, tasted and communicate as

stated in the following fact: Typography suffers

from a severe image problem. Most people either do

not think there is a choice between Times and Arial

(Brown, 2004). Through typography, the reader can

sense visual intentions that are articulated.

Typography is a critical tool in visual

communication because it is able to evoke the

emotions of the reader through a combination of

form and narrative text. As a distributor of the

message, typography can be a means of resolution of

a problem, as Carter (1997) stated that typography

can function by delivering a message, just as a

postman delivers a letter, but it can also provide the

elements and inspiration for an uninhibited play.

Through play we experience the pure joy of

typographic expression, and our eyes and minds are

open to new ways of solving problems.

3.2 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

Literature

Poetry can be achieved in a variety of ways, for

example by visual form: typography, words

composition; by sound: rhyme, assonance, figurative

sounds, alliteration, symbol of taste and

orchestration; with the choice of words (diction),

figurative language, rhetorical means, grammatical

elements, language styles, and so forth. In reaching

the poem, the poet uses many ways at once,

simultaneously to get as much poetic effect

(Altenbernd and Lislie, 1970).

Nugiyantoro (2002) argued that assessment of

the work of fiction means of study, investigation, or

assess, examine, investigate the fictional works.

Further Nugiyantoro (2002) added that to conduct an

assessment of the elements of the formation of

literary works, special fiction must be accompanied

by analytical work.

The text structure is the organizational structure

of the text that is the way the text is composed. A

text is arranged according to its type. Kridalaksana

(2001) stated that the text is (1) a complete set of

abstract language, (2) a row of sentences, words, and

so on that form of speech, (3) the speech produced in

human interaction. Based on these three concepts, it

can be concluded that the meaning of the text is a

unit of language in the form of written language and

spoken language resulting from interaction or human

communication.

The text referred to in this study is the text in

accordance with the opinion Kridalaksana above.

Where the text is written and spoken languages are

communicated. Oral literature Ternate text is

narrative (prose) and some are poetic (poetry).

Shaped narrative or narrative is the form that

describes or explains, while the form of poetic or

poetry is a form that uses arrays, stanzas, rhyme,

rhythm, or in the form of a poem.

3.2.1 Typography Ternate Sufistic

Literature in Poetry

Ternate Sufistic literature is 'poetic / poetic', because

it has array, stanza, and also rhyme. Like the

following Ternate sufistic literature:

“Toma wange rimoi madaha

To puji waktu romtoha

Toma wange tomdi madaha

Ka ri Jum’at ngana”

(Pray five times in a day

I praise to pray five times in a day

In a week forward

I have your Friday).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 10.7.2017)

The array is the visual element of the poem after

the word. The array is arranged and in the form of

stanza so it has its own unit of meaning, such as the

second line "To praise the time of romtoha" and

"Kari Jum'at ngana" This phrase implies that when

we obediently established the five times prayer

service to Allah and Friday as a complementary

Typography Analysis of Ternate Suﬁstic Literature

733

worship then we will get good from every week to

next week.

The above Sufi literature is said to be poetic

because the Sufi literature is in the form of array,

verse and rhyme.

3.2.2 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

Literature Using a Small Capital

Letters Complete

Ternate Sufistic letters that use uppercase and

lowercase letters can be seen in the following

quotation:

“Firman se Hadist i sinyata-nyata

Dalil himo-himo i siguci ma ngale

Aki kama obo ua i sinyafo kaahe bato

Gugu Jou nga susudo si gou-gou

Padi Jou nga larangan i ma raro gudu

Nga yakin tike untung toma gam Akherat ma

daha”

(Command and words or deed of Muhammad are

clearly

Advices meaning from the oldmen

Be careful to say anything

Keep the Allah’s command

By far Allah prohibitions

Believe that we are luckily in beyond).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 19.6.2017)

The above quotation contains the meaning of

the handle of our lives is Al-Quran and Al-hadist.

Our parents say and do Amar Ma'ruf Nahi Munkar

as well as possible, then we will get the victory in

the beyond (Akhirat).

The above sufistic literature uses capital letters in

the names of objects such as “Jou” which means

God (Allah), decree, theorem (Dalil), Hadith, and

the beyond. It also using lowercase. Each letter in

the first word of each array is always in the

capitalization.

3.2.3 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

literature uses comma punctuation (,)

but not end with punctuation (.)

Ternate sufistic litetarature used comma (,), but not

used point (.) like in the following:

“Daka moju si to suba ri Jou si to nonako, ri Jou

si to nonako daka moju si to suba, suba ua to

sala suba to sala jolo to suba bato biar to sala

mai laha.”

(You (Allah) is far from me but I am respectful

to you. I am faulted because do not respect you. I

do not respect you, they blamed me but I respect

you always).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 10.7.2017)

This phrase implies a belief that there has been a

dialogue and recognition when our soul is expelled

from the Adam's ‘sulbi’ with the sentence ‘Alastu

Birabbikum’ is not I your Lord when I testify You

My Lord, when born and mature in worship even

though we do not see God but still worship God and

believing that God sees us.

The above sufistic literature has a comma

punctuation marked on three sentences, such as;

‘Daka moju si to suba ri Jou si to nonako’, ‘ri Jou si

to nonako daka moju si to suba’, and ‘suba ua to

sala suba to sala jolo to suba bato biar to sala mai

laha’. The third sentence above as the parent

sentence is Daka moju si to suba ri Jou si to nonako,

then the following sentence as a sentence must be

separated by the parent sentence. The comma is used

to separate the sentence from the parent sentence if

the sentence precedes the parent sentence. Ternate

Sufistic literature also does not end with a dot,

because of one sufistic literature with other Sufi

literature still in touch, as in Al-Quran whose verses

are related to each other.

3.2.4 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

Literature in Stanza form and There is

Also a Form of Sentence

The temple-shaped Sufistic literature of Ternate can

be seen in the following:

“Taat se tartib no tike sampurna

Sampurna ge lah maronga afdhal

Afdhal no waje gaku mara mai ngana musti sema

ake wudhu madaha no sabea futuru

Ake wudhu no waje ofi mara mai poha ikhlas

ua”

(Obedient and loyal to get perfection

The perfection is call afdhal (ritualy pure)

Afdal you said, it means that you Have to pray to

Allah always

Wudhu (Islam ritual oblution before prayers) is

holy but you are sincere to Allah).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 19.6.2017)

According to Aminuddin (1987) the meaning of

stanza in poetry is a supporter of a unity of meaning

in order to realize a particular thought that is

different from the units of meaning in other groups

of lines. In this type of prose bait is called a

paragraph, so the array in the prose type is called a

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

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sentence. In terms of substance both are the same

that has a unity of meaning, but there is a difference,

where the stanza in poetry is not bound by rules such

as paragraphs in prose type. Ternate Sufistic

literature above consists of four arrays that overall

have unity meaning that everything we do must be

based on the nature of confidence and sincerity,

confident and trust, confident and surrender to Allah

then what we hope can be realized.

Ternate Sufistic literature in the form of sentence

can be seen in the following:

“Sorga ma dehe daka toma Raudatul Jannah ua

mai to ngongano, ngongano palisi marua ge fo

dahe ampong o sinyata-nyata.”

(Heaven is there, it always which I hope, the

hope that I dream is to find out the heaven, and

forgiveness became true).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 19.6.2017)

Arrays are also called sentences. If the Ternate

Sufistic literature in the form of stanza is a collection

of several lines, the Ternate Sufistic literature in the

form of a sentence consists only of one line /

sentence which is has the meaning of totality in the

words of the sentence. The above phrase implies that

when we go Hajj, then try to pray in Raudhtul

Jannah because it is the Heaven where we ask and

forgiveness to God (Allah).

3.2.5 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

Literature Uses All Capital Letters in

Certain Words

The use of capital letters because the word has its

own philosophical meaning, likely ‘JOU SE

NGOFANGARE’. This word has your meaning ‘I

am. You are’ (light of Allah) and I (light of

Muhammad). Like the following quotation in

Ternate Sufistic literature:

“Madero toma ma dero toma ua se hang moju

koga yo dadi sosira, toma limau gapi ma tubu

JOU SE NGOFANGARE”

(In formerly, it was created an earth for YOU

and ME).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 10.7.2017)

Based on the position of the word in the poem is

important, A. Teeuw, reminds us of his book

'Depending on the Word' this signifies that the word

becomes the determinant of the quality of a literary

work (poetry).

Why the phrase ‘JOU SE NGOFANGARE’

written in capital letters because the word

symbolizes God (Allah SWT and the followers

(Muhammad SAW).

3.2.6 Typography of Ternate Sufistic

Literature Placement of Poem Using

Left Distribution

The results of the observation showed that the writer

found that the Ternate Sufistic literature mostly put

its poetry using the left equity. As found in the

above quotations on Ternate Sufistic literary

literature below:

“No tike huruf koa kama idi ua se no tike huruf

koa kama demo ua huruf kama idi ua ge Yakin

adi huruf kama demo ua ge Ikhlas.”

(You try to find out letters has sound and not has

sound, lettera has sound is Convinced and letters

has not sound is Sincere).

(Interview: Ridwan Dero, 10.7.2017)

This expression implies that the highest level of

faith in heart and soul to Allah SWT.

4 CONCLUSIONS

A literary work can be achieved in a variety of ways,

and one of them with typography. Typography

serves as 'written communication' and 'visual

communication'. So the letter is the text and also the

symbol. It is from these texts and symbols that bring

about different processes of meaning. Capital letters

in a word can have a difference in meaning when the

capital letters are only at the beginning of words

with capital letters in all words. Likewise, with the

punctuation or the pressure of the sound up and

down sounds in spoken language. Therefore,

typography has an important role in the process of

meaning in a text or symbol.

Typography of Ternate Sufistic literature uses

conventional model. Basically typography is a form

or a facade of a poem, which ultimately

distinguishes it from short stories, dramas, novels,

and so on. And for typography Sufism of Ternate is

poetic, using a small capitalized letters, using

comma (,) punctuation but not ending with point (.)

punctuation, in the form of a stanza and there is also

a sentence, using all capital letters in certain words,

and placing the poem using left equity.

Typography Analysis of Ternate Suﬁstic Literature

735

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researcher would like to thank Prof. Dr. H.

Syihabuddin, M.Pd. and Dr. Sumiyadi, M.Hum

which has provided motivation and support until this

article is completed.

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Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education

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