The Representation Of Penginyongan Society Depicted In Local Banyumas Ditties

Abstract

Penginyongan is a term representing the society and the culture existed in Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia. One of the particular characteristics undistinguishable to this community is its ngapak character which is identical with the concept of Cablaka (being straightforward, behaving as it is). Recently, there is a phenomenon of reluctance shown by young generation of native Banyumas to admit that they are part of Penginyongan society. This phenomenon intrigued many parties to straighten out this perception which had already been imprinted in people's minds to show that this assumption was erroneous. One of the parties trying to correct this assumption is the Cowongan artists at Cowong Sewu atelier who created a contemporary art creation in the form of Wayang Cumplung. This article tries to explore the semiotic representation of Penginyongan culture practice in Banyumas local ditties. By employing semiotics theory of Charles Sanders Peirce supported by Representation theory of Stuart Hall, this study tries to dip into the symbolic meanings found in the ditties and their correlation to the cultural phenomenon of Penginyongan. The analysis will be focused on the concept of how those representations underwrite to the preservation and transmission of cultural identity in Banyumas society. Furthermore, the aspects planned to be analysed include cultural codes which are drawn on a range of semiotics concepts to unravel the underlying meanings within the ditties. The result of this research is expected to contribute a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of Penginyongan community and its representation in local artistic expression.