Local Wisdom of Taboos in Karo Language

Jumat Barus,Robert Sibarani,Mulyadi Mulyadi,Amrin Saragih

doi:10.30743/ll.v2i2.671

Abstract

This research aims to explore local wisdom of taboos in Karo language. Taboo is more than prohibitions and avoidance in tradition; it normally arises from social restrictions on individual behaviour that can lead to inconvenience and danger. Taboo was created as a control for community to avoid personal and family conflict. The research was conducted in five sub-districts of Karo, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. It was carried out by using a qualitative approach with ethnographic methods. The data of local wisdom were obtained from the interview method from nine key informants who mastered and used Karo language and culture well in their daily activities and the writer played a role as the native speaker so that he could directly feel how the culture was implemented in the daily lives of Karo society. It was found that the local wisdoms of taboos in Karo culture were attitude and eagerness to do the best for the community, since taboo rules provide a picture for them about how to express dignified words and behave glorious deeds and how to avoid mentioning disgusting words and behaving impolite manners. The rules become controls for social harmony to be maintained properly. Taboo rules were imposed not to make the society difficult to communicate with each other, but to provide a sense of security and peace for them so that they can live peacefully and harmoniously.

Highlights

Every cultured tribe certainly has a cultural product known as taboo, as stated by Danesi (2004: 128), taboo means “holy, untouchable.” He further stated that it exists in all cultures and it is generally related to sexuality, the supernatural, excretion, death, and various aspects of social life
He further said that taboo normally arises from social restrictions on individual behaviour that can lead to inconvenience and danger
It can be concluded that the local wisdom of taboo language plays very important role in creating harmony and peace of the community

Summary

Introduction

Every cultured tribe certainly has a cultural product known as taboo, as stated by Danesi (2004: 128), taboo means “holy, untouchable.” He further stated that it exists in all cultures and it is generally related to sexuality, the supernatural, excretion, death, and various aspects of social life. Every cultured tribe certainly has a cultural product known as taboo, as stated by Danesi (2004: 128), taboo means “holy, untouchable.” He further stated that it exists in all cultures and it is generally related to sexuality, the supernatural, excretion, death, and various aspects of social life. Rebu is a taboo term referring to communication activity that violates cultural rules when it is carried out directly in a kinship between bengkila ‘father-inlaw’ (husband's father) with permain ‘daughter-in-law’ (son's wife), turangku ‘husband’s sister’s husband’ with turangku ‘wife’s brother’s wife’, and mami ‘mother-in-law’ (wife's mother) with keila ‘son-in-law’ (daughter's husband)

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Conclusion