Preservation of Lullabies Songs in Forming Character

based on Local Wisdom

Nurhayati Harahap

Irawaty A. Kahar

and Laila Hadri Nasution

Department of Languages and Literature Science, Faculty of Cultural Scince, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan,

Indonesia

Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Cultural Scince, Universitas Sumater Utara, Medan,

Indonesia

Keywords: Preservation, Oral Tradition, Character Based on Local Wisdom.

Abstract: The lullabies song is an oral tradition performed by the mother in ancient times in Indonesia.Text/lirycs in the

songs is loaded with local wisdom. But negative value of globalization has had an impact on the erosion of

local cultural values, and the wonder of lullabies of several ethnics in North Sumatra is almost extinct.

Inventorization, and preservation the traditional media of lullabies from oral to digital and is a way of saving

and sharing the information contained in the lullabies. Aside that it analyzes and identifies local wisdom

values contained in lullabies that can be used in character formation. The method used is qualitative with

content analysis approach based on the theory of hermeneutics. The results of the research are (1) the 14

lullabies while swinging a child of North Sumatra ethnic culture for the preservation of local culture, (2). The

packing of digital of lullaby songs (CD / DVD) is spreaded through social media / website to revive the

tradition of children's swinging songs, (3) Identify the types of local cultural values to be utilized in the

generation of children of the present generation.

1 INTRODUCTION

Oral tradition of swinging children while singing is

usually done by most ethnic mothers in Indonesia.

Oral tradition is a traditional cultural activity of a

community passed down from generation to

generation with oral media from one generation to

another, both oral (verbal) and oral (non verbal) oral

spoken words, Sibarani (2012) a mother (matrilineal)

is instrumental in delivering the singing (while

swinging) children based on local wisdom to shape

the personality and character of the child as early as

possible (Harahap, 2015). Local wisdom is historical,

and positive, values taken by the ancestors are then

passed on orally to the next generation (Ataupah,

2004). In addition, the values of local wisdom from

the songs while swinging an infant (child) is very

thick with moral messages for children, so that moral

messages can be used as a means to form a character

(Neno, Lestari and Noor Efni Salam, 2016). The most

valuable benefit of local wisdom that contains the

noble values of the nation's ancestors can be used as

capital to build a nation with a good and strong

character (Dina, 2016). It is undeniable that local

wisdom is a culture that belongs to a certain society

that is considered able to survive the current of

globalization (Yunus, 2014). Expected to enrich the

scientific knowledge based on local wisdom that

includes the soft skills of conservation for the future

generations (Sudarmin, 2013). But in today's reality,

the negative effects of globalization have an impact

on the erosion of local cultural values. The oral

tradition of singing is almost extinct and is no longer

known by the present generation. To fight against the

extinction, one way is to re-preserve the media of the

lullaby songs of the orally recorded to digital (in the

form of CD/DVD), to be easily disseminated. The

process of media transfer uses the theory of

conservation. A theory of preservation expants the

concept of digital preservation from one that is

focused on sending the records (metadata) into the

future to one that can also enter the future description

of the environment (Paul, 2007). One expert defines

the digitalization of culture as a concept of utilizing

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

to improve utility in the field of culture, especially in

management (Sitokdana, 2015). In addition

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Harahap, N., Kahar, I. and Nasution, L.

Preservation of Lullabies Songs in Forming Character based on Local Wisdom.

DOI: 10.5220/0010079414131420

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1413-1420

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

1413

is not only important for the welfare of the

community, but also is more important to establish a

tie between different generations (Mahyuddin K.M,

Tengku Erry Nuradi, and Rahmad Syah). In

connection with that the formation of children's

characters based on local culture on the current and

the coming generations can be done through singing

while swinging children which have been provided by

conservation.

2 RESEARCH METHODS

The research used qualitative method with content

analysis approach based on hermeneutic theory

(meaning comprehension). This approach can be

exploited if it wishes to disclose certain value content

in literary works, which include: (a) moral message,

(b) educational value, (c) philological value, (d)

religious value, (e) welfare value and so forth

(Endraswara, 2008). Each of the elements of meaning

reveals the text, the context, and the context

pertaining to oral or cultural tracer. The theory is to

reveal the meaning, cultural values and local wisdom

as foundation of formation of children. Methods of

data collection through Focus Group Discussion with

community / adat leaders, interviews with informants

(6 people: mother/ grandmother), recording of songs,

and documentation of lyrics of the lullabies songs.

Informants amounted to 6 people (mother/

grandmother) who is currently still doing the tradition

of swinging children while singing. The unit of

analysis is an oral tradition of the singing of an ethnic

Mandailing child. Malay and Karo in North Sumatra

Province. For the preservation of media transfer, the

approach of utilizing Information Technology from

oral to digital form, because digitalization is the

activity of switching media that can be done by using

a variety of tape recorder (Garjito, 2002).

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Inventorization of Lullabies Ethnic

Mandailing, Malay, and Karo

The singing while swinging a child was performed in

four villages: (1) Pagarutan Village (Tapanuli

Selatan), (2) Gunung Tua Village (Mandailingness),

(3) town of Tanjung Balai Asahan (Malayness), and

(4) Perbesi Village Tiga binanga (Karonese). These

three ethnic groups are located in North Sumatra

Province of Indonesia. The perpetrators are the

mother or grandmother. The tradition of singimg

while swinging children is a tradition that can be done

at any time when parents put the child in a swing to

sleep. Swinging the child is accompanied by a song

containing advice, advice and prayer, which is a

parent's habit when a child is crying and wanting to

sleep (Neno, Lestari dan Noor Efni Salam, 2016). The

lyrics of the song lull the child rhythmically, calmly

and repeatedly. Her words are affectionate,

compelled the child to want to close his/her eyes

(Noor, 2014). From the results of the inventory

obtained as many as 14 pieces of children's lullabies

singing, 2 Malay ethnic singing, 9 Mandailing ethnic

lullabes, and 3 Karo ethnic lullabies. Basically the

moral message presented in the entire singing is

almost the same, but the difference lies in the rhythm

of delivery, there is a melodious, seductive, so as to

make the child fall asleep. The results of the content

of Malay, Mandailing, and Karo ethnics and the

values of local wisdom contained, in the songs can be

seen in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.

Figure 1: Malay ethnics way to swing a child

Figure 2: Mandailings ethnics way to swing a child

Figure 3: Mandailings ethnics way to swing a child Figure 4: Karo ethnics way to swing a child

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Table 1: Inventorization of Lullabies while Swinging a Child of the Ethnic Malay and the Value of Local Wisdom

Texts of the lyrics of the lullabies in Malay

language

English Version The Value of Local

Wisdom

Judul: Dodoi si Dodoi

Buah hatiku junjungan jiwa

Dodoi si dodoi

Janganlah anak suka menangis

Ayahmu jauh ya anak dirantau

orang ya sayang

Ayahmu jauh ya sayang dirantau

orang ya sayang

Ayahmu jauh ya anak dirantau

orang ya sayang

Ayahmu jauh ya sayang dirantau

orang ya sayang

Dodoi si dodoi

Title: Dodoi si Dodoi

My precious child of my heart

sleep child sleep

Dodoi si dodoi

please don’t cry my dear child

please don’t cry

Your father is far away in

foreingn please dear child

Your father is far away in

foreingn please dear child

Your father is far away in

foreingn please dear child

Your father is far away in

foreign place my dear child

Dodoi si dodoi

The immersun of love

of the mothers for a

child

Judul: Timang anakku sayang

Timang-timang anakku sayang

buah hati ayahanda seorang

jangan marah dan jangan merajuk

sayang

tenanglah, tenang dalam buaian

Betapakah hati takkan riang

bila kau bergurau dan tertawa

mogalah jauh dari mara bahaya

yang gembira sampai akhir masa

Setiap waktuku berdoa

pada Tuhan Yang Maha Kuasa

Jika kau sudah dewasa

hidupmu bahagia sentausa

Timang-timang anakku sayang

kasih hati permata ayahanda

Tidurlah, tidur pejamkan mata

sayang

Esok hari bermain kembali

Title: timang timang anakku

sayang

I hugs you, hug you my dear

The dearest of fathers heart

Don’t be angry

Don’t grumble

Stay calm, stay calm in the

swing

How my heart will not be

glowing when you are playful

and laughing

Hopefully far from danger.

And cheerful until the end of

time. Every minutes of day pray

to the almighty god when you

grown up someday you will

have a happy life.

Cuddle cuddle my dearest child

The love and gem of your

fathers heart.

Sleep sleep and close your eyes

my dearest.

Tomorrow we will play again

Prays of parents

hoping the child be

full of happines

Preservation of Lullabies Songs in Forming Character based on Local Wisdom

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Table 2: Inventorization of Lullabies while Swinging a Child of Mandailing Ethnic in Pargarutan and Gunung Tua Villages

Texts of the lyrics of the lullabies

in Mandailing language

Indonesian and English Version The Values of

Local Wisdom

Bue-bue da amang bue...

bue-bue da amang bue...

campong ale campong

on dope hami ro mangalap ko

da bujing-bujing

Indonesian:

ayun-ayun anak laki-lakiku

ayun… ayun ayun anak laki-lakiku ayun

lampu teplok lampu dinding

baru ini kami datang menjemputmu

wahai anak gadis

English:

Swing swing my dear boy

The kerosene lamp on the wall

We just come to fetch you my dear girl

The values of love

and affection

Magodang aek godang dainang

Namarmayuban ambasang

dainang

Tibu maho magodang da inang

Anso marbakti tu nusa dohot

bangsa dinang

Indonesian:

Air bah sungai, anak perempuanku

Berhanyutan mangga bacang, anak

perempuanku

Cepatlah besar, anak perempuanku

Supaya berbakti pada nusa dan bangsa, anak

perempuanku

English:

The fludded river my little girl, the mango

bacang

My little girl

Grow up fast my little girl

To be able to devote your self to the country and

nation my little girl

The values of

serving the

country.and nation

Bue bue dainang bue

Jambatan ni aek godang da

borukku

Pamolusan ni Sampagul lima da

orukku

Anso tarsampehon rukunna lima

Indonesian:

Ayun-ayunlah anak perempuanku ayun

Jembatan sebuah sungai lah anak

Perlintasan Bus Sampagul nomor limalah anak

perempuanku

Supaya tersampaikan rukun yang lima anak

perempuanku

English:

Swing swing my little girl

Be a bridge my little girl

For the bus sampagul five to cross over my little

girl. So that be able to complete the five

commandments of Islam my little girl

The values of

religion

Indu sada hoju na godang do

inang

Pangitean nisi matua dainang

Simbur maho magodang dainang

Anso marbakti tu orang tua

dainang

Indonesian:

Itu satu kayu yang besar oh anak rempuanku

Titian orangtua anak oh perempuanku

Cepat besarlah oh anak perempuanku

Supaya berbakti pada orangtua 0h anak

Perempuanku.

English:

There is a big tree my little girl

To be a bridge for the old people my little girl

So that you can serve your parents my little girl

The values of

serving the parents

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Bue-bue…..modom magodang

maroa-roa….amang modom…

Naso uparmuda sayang on alee

modom

Magodang ma ambasang

Na magodang di roha-roha

Magodang ale amang pamatang

Anso uanko marsipada

Indonesian:

Duhai tidurlah anakku sayang

Buah hatiku tersayang tidurrlah

Besar-besar buah embacang

Tumbuh besar di rawa-rawa.

Lekaslah besar badanmu anakku

Agar lekas engkau sekolah.

English:

Oh sleep my dearest child

The love of my heart sleep please

The embacang fruits are so big

Grown big your body my little girl

So you can go to school soon

The values that te

child later go to

shool

Bue, modom amang modom

Mutik ni parpidoanku ale amang

Muda langka diamang tu roha

Manjalai buluh asa parupuk

Mudalangka ho amang marsipada

Manjalai ilmudohot bisuk

Indonesian:

Duhai tidurlah anakku tidur

Bunga impian anakku sayang

jika engkau pergi ke belantara

Mencari buluh dan parupuk

Pergilah nak kesekolah.

Mencari ilmu kelak esok.

English:

Sleep oh sleep my little girl

The flower of my dream my dear child

If you go to the wood

Finding bamboo and parupuk

Go to school oh dearst child

To pursue knowledge in the future

The values hoping

the child persue

learning.

Campong ale campong

Urat ni galinggang laut on

Haru lomlom pe daboru kon

Tolu kabupaten manyapai on

Indonesian:

Campong ale campong

Akar galingging di laut

Biar hitam pun anak perempuanku ini

tiga Kabupaten melamarnya

English:

Campong ale campong

The galingging roots at sea

Even though your skin is dark my little girl

Three regions come to ask for your hand

The values of love

and affection of

parents toward their

child

Poken amang di Sidimpuan

Torang ari bayBaga-bagaa di

Siboga

Mangido pe au amang tu Tuhan

Saut tulus da baga-baga

Indonesian:

Hari pekan di sidempuan

Besok harinya di Siboga

Aku memohon kepada Tuhan

Tercapa cita-cita yang kau impikan

English:

The market day in Sidempuan

The next day in Sibolga

I pray to the almighty god

Hopefully you obtain all your dreams and

wishes

The educational

values to obtain all

wishes of a child in

the future

Preservation of Lullabies Songs in Forming Character based on Local Wisdom

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Adong dope ubege na godang

umpukmu

Ulang ko mabiar

Anggo didokon debata

Tola do ho ro to Tuhanmu

Anggo dokon ni debata, inang

Danak ma na lobi sonang

Indonesian:

Kutahu banyak tantangan menghadangmu

Kau jangan gentar

Allah berfirman

Silakan kau memohon pada Nya.

Sesuai firman Allah ananda

Agar anak lebih senang.

English:

I know there are many challenges

Do not be afraid

Allah commands

Please pray to Him

According to Allah Commandments my dear

child

That you will be happy

The religional

values

Table 3: Inventorization of Lullabies while Swinging a Child of the Karo ethnic and the Values of Local Wisdom in the

Perbesi Tigabinanga Village

Texts of the lyrics of the lullabies

in Karo language

Indonesian and English Version.

The Values of

Local Wisdom

Didong doah anakku……

Lampas mbekin…ula ngindet, ula

tangis….anakku

Didong…doah anakku…

ula gutul ula melinges

anakkuMaka pagi banci man

temanku arih, inganu metua

anakku.

Indonesian:

Timang-timang anakku

Cepatlah besar, janganlah sakit, janganlah

menangis

Tmang-tiimang anakku..sayang.jangan bandel

agar kamu dapat menjadi temanku jangan

cengeng

Agar kamu dapat menjadi temanku dihari tua.

English:

Cudle..cudle mylitle child

Grow up fast , don’t get sick, don’t crry

Cudle..cudle my be litle child don’t be

stubborn ,so you can be my friend . Don’t be

sissy so that you can be my friend in my old

days.

The values of

serving the parents.

Didong..didong doah ..anakku…

Lampas gedang …nande

berpandu…gelah pergitutus

sekolah anakku..

Bengikendulah ..min ajar nande

berpandu anakku..gelah pagi banci

jadi rudang-rudang kami anakku

Indonesian:

Timang-hoolan rajin sekolah

Agar kamu menjadi kebanggaan kami.

English:

Cudle..cudle mylitle child

Grow up fast and be diligent at school

So you can be our pride

The value of

education

Tunduh anggiku tunduh

Tunduh…lapas kam mbelin

Bapanta Pa laws erdahin

Ula kali kam ngadung …oh agi

kakana

Tuduh..tuduh anggiku

Indonesian:

Tidur tidurrlah adikku

Tidurlah biar cepat besar

Bapak kita pergi bekerja

Janganlah menangis adikku

Tidur..tidurlah adikku

English:

Sleep-sleep my little sister

Sleep so you can grow faster

Our father is going to work

Don’t cry my little sister

Sleep sleep my little sister

Love and affection

for Sister/brother

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3.2 The Values of Local Wisdom in the

Singing Texts of Malay,

Mandailing, and Karo Ethnic

Children Lullabies Can Be Used in

Character Formation of Children

To analyze the study of oral tradition and local

wisdom, research method of oral tradition is used.

Each oral tradition has a form and content. The form

is divided into text, co-text and context. Text has

Structure, co-text has elements, and context has

condition (Sibarani, 2015). The contents of oral

tradition in the form of values or norms are

crystallized from meaning, purpose, role and

function. Values and norms can be used to organize a

social life called local wisdom.

The types of local wisdom are divided into two,

namely the first, for peace consisting of compassion,

honesty, social loyalty, harmony, and conflict

resolution. Commitment, positive thinking, and

gratitude. The second type of local wisdom is for the

welfare of hard work, discipline, education, health,

mutual assistance, gender management, cultural

preservation and creativity, and environmental care

(Sibarani, 2015). Based on the meaning and function

of the singing lullabies of the ethnic Malays, three

functions of information are found in the form of

messages containing local cultural values, namely (1)

the value of compassion, (2) honesty and loyalty and

(3) parents' prayers fo a child. In Mandailing ethnic

there are 5 functions of information containing the

values of local wisdom (1) affection, (2) devotion to

country and nation, (3) religious, (4) devotion to

parents, (5) education. In ethnic Karo there are 2

functions of information values of local wisdom that

is (1) devotion to parents and (2) affection. In ethnic

Karo there are 2 functions of information values of

local wisdom that is (1) devotion to parents, and (2)

affection.

3.3 Reviving the Tradition of Lullabies

While Swinging a Child of Malay,

Mandailing, and Karo Ethnic

The oral lullabies while swinging a child in North

Sumatra is no longer heard and less desirable for

today's generation. This condition may be due to the

less attractive way of delivery. To overcome those

facts, efforts should be done so that the tradition of

lullabies while swinging a child in the original media

in the past, be revived with different appearances and

versions. One way is through the re-preservation of

the lullabies while swinging a child in the original

media i.e informant. Then record the songs in the

recorder, change the arrangement of the music that

accompany the singer. And finally the creation of the

video clip (in the form of CD/DVD), as to be accepted

by now generation. And then ready to be

disseminated through social media such as youtube,

istagram etc. In order the lullabies while swinging a

child can be accessed more broadly a North Sumatra

ethnics website should be created. The ways in

reviving the traditional lulabies while swinging a

child of Malay, Mandailing and Karo ethnic children

can be seen in Table 4.

Table 4: Reviving the Tradition of Lulabies While swinging a child of Malay, Mandailing, and Karo Ethnic

Activities Instruments Output

1 To record childrens lullabies of Malay,

Mandailing, and Karo ethnics.

Recorder Recording of childrens

lullabies and informants of

each ethnic.

2 Re-arrangement of the music of lullabies

songs while swinging a child.

Music Lullabies songs in the new

style

3 Choosing the Singer. The singger Reviving songs while

swinging a Child by

professional Singer.

4 Video shooting of the singer.

Camera video CD/DVD of lullabies songs

while swinging a child of

etnics Malay, Mandailing,

and Karo in the places in

North Sumatera Province

Indonesia.

Dissemination of the lullabies songs while

singing a child of Malay, Mandailing, and

Karo etnics.

Social Media, i.e. youtube ,

and website.

Reviving the lullabies songs

while swinging a child of

etnics in North Sumatera Ut

Preservation of Lullabies Songs in Forming Character based on Local Wisdom

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4 CONCLUSIONS

The results of the analysis from the research data

show that there are 14 songs of Malay, Mandailing

and Karo ethnics lullabies in North Sumatra Province.

North of Indonesia, that can be used to assist the

government in preserving the tradition of lullabies

that almost extinct. There are 12 functions of the

information of local wisdom values contained in the

text of children's lullabies , there are (1) love and

affection, (2) devotion to both parents, the nation and

country, (3) education for the children to study the

future, (4) religion, (5) honesty, (6) prayers and

expectations of parents. The values of local wisdom

can be utilized for the character formation of children

based on local wisdom. Aside that, preservation of

media of children lullabies from oral to digital in the

form of CD/DVD products should be done. It is

expected that they can be widely disseminated and

accessible via social media and website in the aim of

reviving the several ethnic lullabies songs in North

Sumatra.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The reseach was financially supported by Universitas

Sumatera Utara in according to TALENTA

Universitas Sumatera Utara Research Contact for the

year 2018 Number 2590/UN5.1.R/PPM/2017 dated

March 16

, 2018.

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