Desa Sioban Tato Tradition Policy in Preservation in Mentawai

Refni Yulia

, Zulfa

, Kaksim

, Hendra Naldi

STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat,Prodi Pendidikan Sejarah, Padang, Indonesia

Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia

Keywords: Policy, Tattoo, Tradition, Preservation

Abstract: The tattoo tradition is extinct in the village of Sioban, which makes this tradition no longer exist.

The purpose of this study was to determine the traditional tattoo policy of Sioban Village in

preservation in the Mentawai. The method of this research is qualitative research with a historical

and ethnographic approach. The results of this study indicate that the local government of Sioban

village, Mentawai district has a policy in terms of preserving the Mentawai tattoo tradition. the

wisdom of the local government in preserving the tradition of tattoos in the Mentawai are: 1.

Conducting Mentawai tattoo batik training, 2. Becoming a facilitator for the tattoo batik group in

developing a home industry, 3. Becoming a mediator in developing cultural traditions as a

potential to get Mentawai district government funding, 4. Working closely with dance studios in

Sioban village, 5. Participate in the Mentawai Enchantment Festival every year. Supporting the

preservation of tradition in Sioban village are 1. Government and 2. Cultural Community.

Inhibiting factors in the application of cultural traditions are: 1. Modernization, 2. Lack of

interest in young people in learning the Sabulungan tradition by using Mentawai tattoos.

1 INTRODUCTION

Law Number 32 of 2004 contains Regional

Governments which give birth to various

implications including social changes that give birth

to opportunities for regions to rise up in developing

regional potential. Development of regional

potential which is an integral part of Indonesian

society. This condition is based on an understanding

of the diversity of tribes, religions and cultures

spread throughout the archipelago, each region has a

different culture that is characteristic of their

respective regions. Culture is a national identity, the

characteristics of a nation, national character or as a

sign that the country has a life history from the

beginning of a country that can be formed. Culture is

a symbol of pride for a particular society and even

determines the progress of a country. In preserving

culture is closely related to what has been aspired to

by the independence of this nation, namely the ideals

of "intellectualizing the life of the nation", in this

case, is not a meaning based on the concept of

science and technology or a social concept, but a

cultural conception. Educating the life of the nation

is an effort to increase the level of national culture,

as a process of humanization to elevate the dignity

and degree of people from the nation. One part of

culture is traditional art. Traditional arts have great

weight in culture. The progress of the nation's

culture and its civilization brings it together, and

reciprocally brought along, by the advancement of

art. The art of tradition is also a means used to

express the sense of beauty in the human soul. In

addition to expressing a sense of beauty in the

human soul, art also has other functions Abdullah

Irwan, (2006), This is related to tattoos which are

part of the Arat Sabulungan tradition ritual. Tattoos

are part of the Mentawai community that can carry

on customs and cultural values as part of inheritance.

Since 1954 tattoos have been banned by the central

government (Yulia, R., Zulfa, Z., & Naldi, H. 2018).

The process of tattoo extinction which is part of

the ritual art of Arat Sabulungan, is caused by

various things. The roots of all traditional Mentawai

cultures are Arat Sabulungan, which is used as a

guide for the Mentawai community. But in 1954,

Arat Sabulungan was abolished from the Mentawai

Islands, especially in the Sioban Village, Sipora

Selatan District and all the ceremonial equipment

was destroyed by the police. As for arat sabulungan,

402

Yulia, R., Zulfa, ., Kaksim, . and Naldi, H.

Desa Sioban Tato Tradition Policy in Preservation in Mentawai.

DOI: 10.5220/0008999604020407

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Language and Society (ICELS 2019), pages 402-407

ISBN: 978-989-758-405-3

in its ritual there are tattoos that are almost extinct.

The condition of the Mentawai traditional culture by

itself was shaky, everything related to Arat

Sabulungan was tattooed, evicted. The external

cultural pressure driven by the government, to

eliminate Arat Sabulungan, was caused by the

opinion that the indigenous Mentawai customs

hampered the development process that was being

promoted by the government at that time (Yulia, R.,

Zulfa, Z., & Naldi, H. 2018).

The Mentawai people have their own unique

culture of various ethnic groups in Sumatra. The

uniqueness of the Mentawai island absorbs the

attention of observers and national and international

institutions. One of the real indications can be

known by the enumeration of skin or tattoos on the

whole body, with motifs consisting of simple

geometrical lines that cross across various parts of

the body and end with curve lines on both cheeks on

the face.

The tattoo tradition is found in various ethnic

groups in Indonesia such as the Mentawai ethnic

group in West Sumatra Province, Dayak ethnic in

Kalimantan, and Sumba ethnic in NTB. Each of

these ethnicities has its own characteristics in the art

of tattoos and has a different view of the meaning of

a tattoo, although there are few similarities in the

function and how to make it. The tattoo tradition has

long been known by the Mentawai people since their

ancestors were still alive. According to Ady Rosa, a

Mentawai tattoo researcher that the tattoo tradition

in the Mentawai islands appeared in the metal age

1500 BC-500 BC. This tradition is inherited by their

ancestors from generation to generation.

The position of the tattoo is governed by the

beliefs of the Mentawai tribe, '' Arat Sabulungan ''.

This term comes from the word sa (se) or group, as

well as bulungan or leaves. A collection of leaves is

arranged in a circle made of palm shoots or thatch,

which is believed to have magical or knit energy.

The process of making Mentawai tattoos goes

through the ritual process, and takes a long time.

Before carrying out the tattoo, a traditional

ceremony called "punen kepa" was held which was a

"bulepak" event, with the aim of getting rid of evil

influences and the threat of bloodshed against the

villages they inhabited. After the event was finished

then the tattoo was held.

For the Mentawai people, tattoos are the spirit of

life. Tato has four positions in the Mentawai

community, one of which is to show identity and

differences in social or professional status. Tattoo

shaman sikerei, for example, is different from tattoo

hunting experts. Hunting experts are known through

pictures of their catches, such as pigs, deer, apes,

birds, or crocodiles. Sikerei is known from the star

tattoo that is bald on his body. In addition tattoos

also have a function as a symbol of natural balance.

Therefore objects such as stone, animals, and plants

must be enshrined on the body. But in its

development in the Mentawai archipelago,

especially in Sioban Village, Sipora Selatan District,

the meaning and function of traditional Mentawai

tattoos underwent a change or expansion of

meaning, so the existence of tattoos in Sioban

Village, Sipora Selatan District was threatened with

extinction. The process of tattoo extinction which is

a ritual art of Arat Sabulungan, is caused by many

things. Extinction of tattoos in Sioban village needs

to be improved by village policies or regulations in

preservation in the Mentawai (Yulia, R., Zulfa, Z., &

Naldi, H, 2019).

2 RESEARCH METHODS

This research used qualitative Method with

Ethnographic and Historical approach. There are

several steps taken to collect the required research

data. The first step in this research is to

identification the research problem, the second step

traces the previous studies that are relevant to the

object of research. Literature study is also one of the

stages in this research in order to find concepts,

theories and information that are based on the

research theme. The next stage is conducting

research in the field, namely: 1. Conduct

observations or direct observations. Observations

were made to systematically look at the cultural

activities that exist in the Mentawai community in

Mentawai district. besides, observations look at

everyday people's lives and facts about the object of

research. 2. Conduct interviews with informants.

The selection of informants refers to the concept of

Spradley (2018:69) whose principle requires that an

informant must understand the culture needed.

Informants can explain the purpose of the study into

consideration. Cultural actors (traditional leaders),

government, academics, and artists became key

informants in this study.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Tattooing is one aspect of the cultural part that has

great potential in the development of culture and

tourism in an area. The success of the preservation

Desa Sioban Tato Tradition Policy in Preservation in Mentawai

403

of traditional arts of a region is largely determined

by the ability of the local government to formulate

programs and policies for the preservation of

traditional arts which will later be carried out by

local government officials along with community

groups in the village of Sioban. Local government

policies in preserving traditional arts in Sioban

village by implementing policies in the context of

preserving traditional arts. This does not go easily as

expected. The Sioban village government will be

challenged as an obstacle to its duties and functions

in order to preserve traditional arts, but on the other

hand the Sioban village government also has several

supporting factors to carry out its duties and

functions in the context of preserving traditional

arts.

The policies (government activities) of Sioban

village in order to preserve (care for, protect,

develop) traditional tattoo art are as follows: 1.

Implementation of Mentawai tattoo batik art

development. This collaborated with the village of

Sioban and the Sioban sub-district office as part of

carrying out group development in Sioban village.

The development of art groups was carried out in the

form of cadres carried out by Sioban village with a

group of Simatorai Monga art studios in the village

of Sioban. This art studio which has implemented

cadre will be given facilities by the service of culture

and tourism, facilities provided in the form of

facilities and infrastructure (traditional clothes,

traditional musical instruments). In addition to the

facilities, in terms of mentoring the Mentawai

district cultural and tourism agency, it also helps art

groups in Mentawai regency to be active and

participate in activities and events organized by the

government and non-government, the program also

helps introduce art groups to the wider community

both inside and outside the Mentawai district and

promoting the traditional traditional arts of the

Mentawai tradition. 2. Working with art groups in

the Mentawai district. The Culture and Tourism

Office of the Arts section uses media from art

studios / groups in Mentawai district to work

together in preserving traditional arts. One way is to

activate these art groups in activities or events

organized by the Government such as the Mentawai

Festival which has been running for 4 years. 3. The

government becomes a facilitator (facilities /

infrastructure) in the preservation of traditional arts

activities in the Mentawai district. One way to

support the preservation of traditional arts, namely

from the Office of Culture and Tourism, provides

facilities for traditional arts groups and organizations

to carry out their activities in the context of

conservation. Facilities are not in the form of funds

(money) but in the form of facilities and

infrastructure such as traditional clothes, musical

instruments, and others. 4. The government becomes

a Mediator for the Community to get financial

assistance from Non-Government Agencies in the

context of preserving traditional arts. The

government has a policy that is to help people who

want to develop the potential of tourism in the

Mentawai district in the field of traditional arts

which is increasingly being improved. The

Department of Culture and Tourism directs each

sub-district and village in Mentawai district to carry

out tourism community development, coaching in

the form of teaching the community to develop

tourism potential in each sub-district and making

Madobak, Matotonan, and Mapejat villages as

tourist villages . 5. Hold regular art performances.

The Culture and Tourism Agency also conducts

regular events in the form of typical Makassar art

performances and groups of art groups scattered in

Mentawai district as performers wherever invited.

Routine events such as the Mentawai festival are

held in collaboration with other agencies, namely

non-governmental institutions in order to preserve

traditional arts, especially the tradition of Tato. From

the results of research conducted in terms of

carrying out the preservation of traditional arts, there

are several factors that support these conservation

activities including:

A. Government.

One of the supporting factors that greatly

influences the preservation of regional arts is the

role of the central and regional governments. The

district government involves and invites the local

community in an effort to preserve cultural arts and

the development of cultural tourism. The

government provides equal opportunities to the

community and the local cultural arts community to

participate in the management and development of

cultural tourism. So that the local community not

only can improve their welfare but indirectly the

community is also involved in efforts to preserve the

Mentawai traditional arts. One form of support from

the government for various traditional arts groups

can be done by involving art workers in data

collection, inventory, documentation, development

of Mentawai traditional cultural arts. Indonesia is

very interested in maintaining and preserving

various traditional cultural arts so that they can

continue to be enjoyed by the next generation, there

needs to be a series of planned, comprehensive and

integrated policies from the central and regional

ICELS 2019 - International Conference on Education, Language, and Society

404

governments to protect traditional cultural arts from

the threat of extinction.

B. Society.

Humans who have a close relationship with

culture, as well as to preserve human culture plays

an important role. Because, humans who create

culture, and humans also have to maintain, maintain

and preserve the Mentawai culture. One element of

culture is traditional art. The Indonesian people were

awarded a large number of traditional types, both art

and performing arts, but there were also many

problems faced with regard to this valuable

inheritance. One characteristic of advanced society

is its ability to save and preserve the Mentawai

traditional arts. Indonesia as a nation that is blessed

with so many types of traditional arts should be very

concerned with the efforts to save and preserve the

Mentawai culture.

From the results of research carried out in terms

of carrying out the preservation of traditional arts,

there are several challenges that become factors that

inhibit the preservation of traditional arts activities

including:

1. The presidential instruction of the Republic of

Indonesia Number 16 of 2005 concerning

cultural and tourism development policies

confirms that local governments take concrete

steps to optimize the acceleration of cultural and

tourism development in an effort not only to

preserve but also to prosper the public, open

employment, and equalize development. But in

the present context where mindset and

modernization continue to develop, the culture

and art of tradition that once existed and grew in

the community are increasingly marginalized,

even clashing with the understanding of

changing society. Mentawai Regency is

inseparable from the name of modernization.

These factors are usually the inhibiting factors of

the course of a rule. Modernization has made the

pace of information and communication more

rapid. No wonder people compete to get

something they want right away. Modernization

causes life to become more modern.

2. Media Less Contains Information and

Impressions About Traditional Art. This world

with all its contents and events cannot escape

from its connection with the mass media; on the

contrary, the mass media cannot escape the

world with all its contents and events. This is

because the relationship between the two is so

close that it becomes interdependent and needs

each other. All content and events in the world

are a source of information for the mass media.

The mass media has duties and obligations -

besides being a means and infrastructure of

communication - to accommodate all types of

world contents and events in the world through

reporting or publications in various forms (news,

articles, research reports, etc.) of less attractive to

the most interesting, from unpleasant to very

pleasant - without any time limit. Therefore in

communication through mass media, mass media

and humans have a relationship of

interdependence and mutual need because each

has mutual interests, each of which needs each

other. The mass media needs news and

information for publication both for the interests

of the media itself and for the benefit of other

people or institutions; on the other hand, humans

need reporting, publications for certain interests.

3. Lack of interest in the Mentawai young

generation in learning traditional arts. The

younger generation tends to like to imitate the

culture of the outside. The existence of facilities

such as Android phones, internet, TV, radio,

magazines that display a lot of foreign cultures

make the younger generation unable to stem their

curiosity to try and imitate, so that their local

culture is regarded as old and outdated and their

foreign culture think of as modern and advanced.

4. Social Change. Social change is a change that

occurs as a variation of the way of life that has

been received because of changes in geographic

conditions, culture, composition of the

population, ideology, and the existence of

diffusion or new discoveries in society. Cultural

changes that occur in today's society, namely the

change from a closed society to a more open

society. Science and technology have changed

the world fundamentally. Communication and

means of international transportation have

eliminated the cultural boundaries of every

nation. Such transcultural events will inevitably

affect our artistic existence. Our traditional art is

a part of national culture that must be preserved.

5. Less creative and innovative Trader Artists.

Many think that traditional art is not entertaining

compared to art which is often broadcast on

television, most of which are modern art and

leave traditional arts. If these conditions are not

balanced with the creativity of the actors of

traditional arts in order to adapt to the times, then

slowly the traditional arts will lose followers or

spectators. Traditional art without audience is

like a teacher who has no students. Its existence

Desa Sioban Tato Tradition Policy in Preservation in Mentawai

405

as an entertainment media will disappear so that

traditional arts will be threatened with extinction.

The form of the Mentawai tattoo tradition is used

as part of the Mentawai Batik tattoo in tattoo

preservation:

Figure 1: Mentawai Batik Tattoo

4 CONCLUSIONS

Local Government Policy in Preserving Mentawai

Traditional Art, namely:

1. Implementation of fostering traditional arts

groups in the Mentawai. The fostering of

traditional arts groups is carried out in the form

of cadres carried out by the department of culture

and tourism to studios and art groups in the

Mentawai district. Art studios and groups that

have carried out cadres will be given facilities by

the service of culture and tourism, facilities

provided in the form of facilities and

infrastructure (traditional clothes, traditional

musical instruments). In addition to facilities, in

terms of mentoring the Mentawai culture and

tourism service and assisting art groups in

Mentawai district to be active and participate in

activities and events organized by the Mentawai

district and non-government districts, the

program also helps introduce art groups to the

wider community both inside and outside in

Mentawai district and promoting traditional

Mentawai traditional arts.

2. Working with art groups in Mentawai in order to

preserve traditional arts in the Mentawai. The

Mentawai district Culture and Tourism Office

cooperates with arts groups in the district in

order to preserve traditional arts, the

collaboration of which is that art groups are

activated and included in art performances held

by government and non-government agencies.

3. Become a facilitator (facilities / infrastructure) in

art activities in order to preserve traditional arts

in Mentawai district. One way to support the

preservation of regional (traditional) arts is the

Office of Culture and Tourism to provide

facilities to traditional arts organizations to carry

out their activities in the context of preserving

traditional arts. Facilities are not in the form of

funds (money) but in the form of facilities and

infrastructure such as traditional clothes, musical

instruments, and others.

4. Become a mediator for the community in

developing tourism potential (traditional arts) to

get financial assistance from private or non-

government agencies. The government has a

policy that is to help people who want to develop

the potential of tourism in their local area (in this

case traditional arts) to get financial assistance

from private institutions.

5. Make routine events in the form of traditional

arts in the context of preserving traditional arts.

The Culture and Tourism Agency also conducts

the Mentawai Festival every year which has been

held for 4 years. Factors Affecting Preservation

of Traditional Arts there are several factors that

influence the preservation of traditional arts in

Mentawai, among others: 1. Supporting Factors.

a. Government. b. Community participation in

traditional arts preservation events / activities. 2.

Inhibiting factors a. Modernization makes life

increasingly modern. b. Teenagers today tend to

like to imitate the culture of the outside. c. Mass

media which does not contain traditional arts. d.

Social change. e. The perpetrators of traditional

arts that are less creative and innovative.

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