Urdo-urdo: A Folk Song Containing Phylosophical and Cultural Art

Values of Simalungun Ethnic Group

Setia Dermawan Purba¹, Perikuten Tarigan

Faculty of Cultural Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords : Simalungun Folk Song, Phylosopphical, Cultural Art Values.

Abtract: This paper discusses the folk song of Simalungun ethnic group which is classified into folklore. There is a

folk song in Simalungun ethnic group that is sung to lull a child to sleep. A child will fall asleep after the song

is sung for several times with soft and soothing voice. When a child sleeps well, his mother will be able to do

daily chores. This lullaby is not only used to lull a child to sleep, but it contains philosophical values, namely

advice to the child so that he will bring benefits to the ethnic group when heis grown up, and he will not

become a burden to other people. In addition, its cultural art value is seen from a mother singing the song

beautifully, and it indirectly presents a cultural art show to the people who hear her singing.

1 INTRODUCTION

Simalungun ethnic groupis one of the five other

ethnic groups of Batak, namely: Toba,

Mandailing/Angkola, Simalungun, Karo, and Pak

pak/Dairi (Payung, 1993). Administratively,

Simalungun ethnic group is found in Simalungun

Regency, North Sumatera Province. This ethnic

group has a folk song,urdourdo, which is used to lull

a child to sleep. Its social function is to be a child

caring of a mother to her child, which is used in her

daily life from generation to generation. Urdourdo in

categorized into the genre of folk song or folklore

consisting of words and songs, spread orally among

particular collectives, in traditional form with many

variants (James, 1994).

Folklore is derived from English, a compound

word, which is formed by two words folk and lore

(James, 1994). Based on this definition, it is

concluded that Simalungun ethnic has had urdourdo

from generations to generations; and it has been used

since the time of their ancestors and is still used and

functons in daily life until now.

Urdourdo is a part of the traditional music of

Simalungun ethnic group called doding(song/vocal

music). Talking about music, Merriam calls it a

symbol of things related to ideas or behavior of an

ethnic group (Alan, 1964). Music is a part of art which

is one of the elements of a culture (Koentjaraningrat,

1986) and is one of human’s universal needs

(Boedhisantoso,1982) , which is never separated from

social context (Mellalotoa, 1989).

2 METHOD

The research used descriptive method with qualitative

approach. It focuses on general principles underlying

embodiment of existing phenomena or patterns in

social life. It analyzed social and cultural phenomena

using the culture of the ethnic group concerned to

obtain the picture of the prevailing patterns; and the

patterns found were analyzed again using objective

theories (Parsudi, 1986). As for the data–they were

collected in a research with qualitative approach -

hence through observation and interviews.

This research employed participant observation.

A researcher must fully participate in the life of the

person studied. Therefore, the researcher observed

the usage and function of Simalungun folk songs.

Interview method is a method used for a

particular task to obtain oral information or

standpoint from a respondent, by face to face

conversation

. In order to obtain more accurate

information, an in-depth interview had to be

conducted repeatedly, so that it obtained the kinds,

functions, cultural art values, and development of

Simalungun folk songs.

Once the data were collected, the data analysis

process began. The expressions and interviews were

sorted to discover the kinds, usage, function, and

philosophical and cultural art values.

1496

Purba, S. and Tarigan, P.

Urdo-urdo: A Folk Song Containing Phylosophical and Cultural Art Values of Simalungun Ethnic Group.

DOI: 10.5220/0010084614961500

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

1496-1500

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Process of Learning UrdoUrdo

In general, like most of the characteristics of folklore,

there are six characteristics of the folklore for

Simalungun children:

1. It is spread orally (oral tradition), which is spread

of word of mouth (in Simalungun dialect, it is called

martakkapbabah). Enculturation takes place

naturally, and it is not tightly scheduled; it is adjusted

with the daily life patterns of Simalungun people.

2. It is traditional which means that it is spread in

relative constant or standard form. This kind of form

has become the norm or general rules to sing it; it

cannot be changed as the singer wishes, yet it

complies with the provisions that have been

collectively agreed. This son is also spread

collectively for a quite long time (at least two

generations). Thus, it is functional in the socio-

cultural context of the ethnic group.

3. The existing urdourdo for kids havemany versions

and different variants. Although it generally has

constant and standard form, it still has versions and

differents because it has been improvised by

composers or singers, and it is also affected by oral

enculturisation. Thus, the accuracy of its tone and

melody is not prioritized.

4. Urdourdo for kids is anonymous, meaning that the

name of its original composer is no longer known. It

is unknown because this song has become a tradition

for very long time and it is not a popular culture which

requires a composer and royalty. It is a part of the life

of a group who puts higher priority to social

functions.

5. Urdourdo plays a function in the ethnic group. It is

its main characteristic, that it is functional in social

life. One of its functions is its socio-cultural function,

that is, to entertain children. It also functions as the

facility to learn the life values of its ethnic group, to

integrate the role of family, either the nuclear family

or larger structure of Simalungun ethnic group, to

maintain the continuity of Simalungun culture, and to

maintain physical and religious health, and so on.

6. Urdourdo is a collective possession. It is

collectively owned by the ethnic group, not

individually. In this case, it is collectively owned by

Simalungun ethnic group. Therefore, it belongs to

Simalungun ethnic group, and its intellectual rights is

held by Simalungun ethnic group, not only by those

who live in Simalungun, but also by those who live in

the city or other regions.

Based on the above-mentioned characteristics of

urdourdo, Simalungun ethnic group learns the song

orally or by the spread of word of mouth

(martakkapbabah).A mother, or maybe a

grandmother, may hold their baby while singing urma

lo dayok, lull and pat their baby to sleep slowly. This

song is sung repeatedly by a mother or other mothers.

It certainly is followed by their daughters or others’

daughter who hear it. They later get used to singing

the song and memorize its lyrics. They then try

singing it and as the time goes, they are able to imitate

it. They can lull their younger brothers by this song as

they have learned it.

3.2 Child Caring in Simalungun Ethnic

Group

When babies are born, their mother is responsible to

take good care of them, although they live with their

grandmother, siblings, mother’s siblings or even

father. In general during this time, amboru (the sister

of the babies’ father) comes to take care of them,

especially if the baby is a baby girl; because it means

that the baby girl is the candidate of her daughter-in-

law in the future. The child caring of Simalungun

ethnic group is bound with the agrarian life in

Simalungun. Thus, the caring is also determined by

the environment which culture is farming. The time

and space used to take care of the children depend on

the patterns of agrarian life.

The person who babysits is calledparorot, who

takes care, watches and looks after the baby (Saragih,

1964). The babysitter who lulls the baby to sleep by

singing is calledpangurdo does not directly lull the

baby to sleep, but she firstly plays with the baby by

singing child songs. She usually soothes the baby by

holding the baby’s armpits, lifting the baby up by

singing a lullaby called,tihtolol. The song has

cheerful rhyme, is repeatedly sung, and contains

loving lyrics, wishes, and movements such as

liftingthe baby.

This urdourdo has soothing song and melody, is

repeatedly sung, and contains loving lyrics, wishes,

and movements such as lifting and patting the baby

slowly so that the baby falls asleep.

It is clearly explained that pangurdois the female

family such as the baby’s mother or aunt. The baby’s

father actually functions as parorot (caretaker) of his

child as well–when the mother is cooking or getting

water, but a father very rarely or even is not able to

sing urdourdo. This emphasizes that the child caring

in Simalungun culture is usually done by women. On

the other hand, the main duty of a man is to earn a

living to fulfill his family needs. Therefore, it is

understandable that only women are accustomed to

singing urdourdo. Thus, urdourdo is a manifestation

Urdo-urdo: A Folk Song Containing Phylosophical and Cultural Art Values of Simalungun Ethnic Group

1497

of love, affection and attention of the baby’s mother

or aunt to the baby.

3.3 Study on the Show, Music, and

Text

Theory of Semiotics is employed to study the

meaning lying in the music and text of this child song.

Since semiotics is used in many disciplines;thus, this

theory is employed particularly in the context of

ethnomusicology, to study the intrinsic aspects of the

music and the meaning lying in the music and text of

the song and show.

Semiotics studies on how a meaning is created

and communicated through symbol system that builds

an art event. Two pioneers of Semiotics, de Saussure,

a linguist from Switzerland, and Peirce, a philosopher

from the United States of America,(Peirce, 1986)

view languages as a system that creates symbols

consisting of sound image or signifier related to a

concept (signified). Every language has its own sound

image. Peirce also interprets languages as a symbol

system, consisting of three partsthat are related to

each other: (1) representatum, (2) interpretant, and (3)

object. In art study, it means that it requires to

consider the role of artists and audiences as the

observers of the symbols and to understand the

process of creating a show or composition. Peirce

distinguishes symbols into three categories, they are:

icon, index, and symbol. If the symbol resembles

what is being expressed such as a photo, it is called

an icon. If the symbol shows an existence of

something, like the existence of smoke is followed by

fire, it is called an index. If the symbol does not

resemble what is expressed, such as garuda which is

used as the symbol of the Republic of Indonesia, it is

called a symbol

Scientifically, the term semiotics is derived from

Greek semeion (Sudjiman, 1992) state that semiotics

refers to a sign or gesture in a larger symbol system.

While pragmatics studies the impression of the use of

a symbol in communication process, semiotics

analyzes the implicit and explicit meaning of a

symbol in daily life. It can explain the problems

related to symbols, including the usage of symbols,

meaning of a message and way of delivery.

There are three sides correlated among symbol,

object and meaning (Stephen, 1992). A symbol

represents the expressed object. A receiver who

relates a symbol with object and meaning, is called an

interpretant, who functions as the intermediaries

between the symbol and its object. Therefore, the

meaning of a symbol only exists in the interpretant’s

mind, after it is related to its object.

In music, including child songs, a song is usually

studied by semiotic analysis.

Martinez’s wwiting entitled “A Semiotic Theory of

Music: According to a Peircean” offers three fields of

inter-related studies in the semiotics of music.

Firtsly,intrinsic semiotics of music, or the study on

signs of music itself, which focuses on the internal

part of music. It consists of musical quality aspects,

actualization of musical workm and organization in

music which is seen as musical systems. Secondly,

music reference, or the study on musical signs and

their correlation with any possible object,which

focuses on the significance of music to the larger

classification of object. Thirdly, musical

interpretation, or the study on musical signs which is

correlated with its variuous interpretation, and

focuses on the actios of musical signs in man’s mind

who receive it or even further. Musical interpretation

is divided into three sub studies, namely: (a) musical

perception, (b) musical show, and (c) musical

intellectualization covering analysis, criticism, theory

of music composition, semiotics of music and

composition (Jose, 1998).

According to the theories, the child song in

Simalungun culture has characteristics such as: song

of UrmaloDayok which intrinsic characteristic is that

it uses pentatonic musical notes consisting notes c, d,

e, f, and g. Note g, in particular uses the one belowthe

middle c and the one above the middle c. Pentatonic

scales is decorated with fis, especially to move from

f to g. This fis becomes a decoration and aesthetical

“bridge” in accordance with the principle of

Simalungun musical system. The basic note of

UrmaloDayok is c, with characteristics, the song is

ended with note c, the tone and modus are also at note

c, its duration is relatively long, it emphasizes that the

basic note of the song is note c. The form of songs

presented is repeated song (ostinato). UrmaloDayok

puts more emphasis on melody aspect which launches

and prolongs the last note duration of the phrase. It is

based by the advantage of this song to lull a child to

sleep, which is not too much bound with rhythm, but

with swinging the child instead using the hands of

pangurdoor a swing, so that it affects the structure of

the song rhythm. Hoiwever, all these intrinsic

elements, semiologically, reflects the cultural identity

of Simalungun music. The music building is

Simalungun music, as is the other Simalungun

cultural artifact.

The study on musical signs for UrmaloDayok

song, soothing melody, lulling a child to sleep is

actually an expression, so that this life notices two

things filling each other. As an example, hardwork

should be balanced with adequate rest. There must be

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decisions to be made, but there are also things to be

considered and decisions must not be made in haste.

The objective of this life is to create harmony in

nature. There must be differences in this life.

Therefore, it is required to use strategies to deal with

these differences which are parts of harmonization,

not to hurt one to another.

by observing the interpretants especially those from

Simalungun ethnic group. It is found out that the song

is the facilty of teaching culture from early age. The

text of this song contains positive things referred by

all Simalungun people. This song does not only

contain teaching aspect, but also life values, that the

objective of living a life is to pursue success,

however, in pursuing success, man should consider

theirtheir limitation as a man, so we are not to pursue

success at all costs. Structurally, this song reflects the

intellectual of Simalungun ethnic group in music.

3.4 Text: Icon, Index, and Symbol

This song for Simalungin children contains semiotic

meanings that can only be approached by studying the

way of thinking of the ethnic group of its users. Thus,

the participant observation approach employed by

this research is useful to reveal the meaning in both

songs. The full text of UrmaloDayok song and its

relative meaning in Indonesia are presented as

follows:

UrmaloDayok (urdourdo)

Urmalodayok ...

Podas ma ham marbanggalanggiku o

anggiku

Marbanggalasahobonanggiku o anggiku

Urmalodayok

Ulangsungkotbailabahanakku o anggiku

Podas ma ham marganjanganggiku o

anggiku

Urmalodayok

Marganjangasahotanganakku o anggiku

Ulangsundalibungkulananggiku o anakku

meaning :

urmalodayok ...

grow quickly my child o my child

as big as the granary my child o my child

urmalodayok

but do not become bigger than the door my

child o my child

grow big my child o my child

urmalodayok ...

get taller like the rattan tree my child o my

child

but do not hit the house ridge my child o my

child

The text of the above “free verse” contains

advice and wish. However, it is expressed

figuratively, not denotatively but connotatively. A

mother wishes her children to grow quickly, and

when they are grown up, they must not be

troublesome to their parents. So is the word bapa in

the text, which does not refer toits denotative

meaning, but refers to the way to call a son. Inang is

the wordused to call a daughter. This way of calling

is done by parents who regard them as the parents in

the future. Thus, the words bapaandinangin the song

are actualaly indexes that the child is going to be

parents to their child in the future. Therefore, it is

necessary to teach children from early age so that they

have cultural responsibility in the future, when they

are grown up, to become parents.

The icon of a child considered ideal to parents in

the context of Simalungun ethnic group is the child

who grows and develops in accodrdance with nature.

It means that the child is going to become parents, and

to continue the generation of Simalungun to maintain

its existence in this world. This child’s needs in his

life will be fulfilled which is symbolized by the grass.

He/she must grow and develop as well as possible, yet

they must be aware that as humans they have

limitations. Thus, they must not force themselves to

become great in everything.

The important aspect in the text of the

aforementioned child song is symbol. Granary

(hobon) is the symbol of prosperity, fertility and life

success. This symbol clearly represents that in

agrarian ethnic group like Simalungun ethnic group

from the beginning until now, granary symbolizes

good things. It is considered as the place to collect

rice, which can be used to fulfill ownself’s, family’s

and other people’s needs.

The other symbol israttan, which grows high

achieving a goal or a dream; it acts as advice to have

high dream as high as the stars in the sky. Rattan is

also used to make housewares and medicine: for

example, the rattan shoots that can be used to cure any

kind of disease.

The other symbols used in the song are grass and

hornbill. Grass symbolizes the fertility of the nature

provided by God. It symbolizes the food consumed

by livestock. In context of human, grass can be

interpreted as the staple such as rice and additional

food such as vegetables, fruit, and so on which are the

Urdo-urdo: A Folk Song Containing Phylosophical and Cultural Art Values of Simalungun Ethnic Group

1499

basic food for human. Grass also has the

characteristic of willingness to be stepped on yet still

grows in accordance with the law of nature. It can also

become the facility of reforestation.

Hornbill is the symbol of palor or bravery in

sailing through the space or nature. It embodies

magical values, which can repel disease or

disturbance from evil creatures. In theater of toping-

toping/huda-huda of Simalungun, hornbill is played

as the main character that is able to entertain people

in grief. Therefore, the text used in both

aforementioned songs is full of cultural signs and

meanings, which are symbolic, implicit, and rich of

philosophical and educational values.

4 CONCLUSIONS

The above explanation clearly describes that

Simalungun ethnic group, as one of the native ethnics

in Batak ethnic groups in North SumateraProvince,

has a tradition of singing urdourdo, which is closely

related to child caring and education. This child song

is used and useful for the ethnic group. The use of

singing the song is to inherit educational values to

children, and to soothe and lull children to sleep. Its

main function is to maintain the continuity of

Simalungun culture.

Structurally, Simalungun child song consists of

elements of music (which has tone, musical scales,

cadenza patterns, rythms, duration metre, free metre,

etc.). The instrinsicaspest emphasizes the musical

identity of Simalungun ethnic group, especially to be

represented by pentatonic scales. The textual aspect

consists of icon, index, and symbol. The icon used is

how an ideal child is portrayed in Simalungun ethnic

group, i.e. an ideal child must have a big dream and

great effort to make it come true, but he also must be

aware of his limitation as a human. Index is used to

call the child with bapa (father), which means that the

existence of a child in the family ensures that he is

going to be a parent as well in the future. The text of

urdourdo in Simalungun ethnic group uses many

symbols such as: granary and rattan ---with variety of

cultural meanings which are rich of philosophical,

educational and cultural-art values.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge that the present

research is supported by Ministry of Research and

Technology and Higher Education Republic od

Indonesia. The support is under the research grant

DRPM KEMENRISTEKDIKTI of Year 2018

Contract Number : 2 / UN5.2.3.1 / PPM / KP-DRPM

/ 2018.

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