Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018), 97-106 p-ISSN 2541-1683|e-ISSN 2541-2426 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: 10.15294/harmonia.v18i1.15524 Pantun in the text of Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA) Tengku Ritawati Department of Drama, Dance and Music Education, Universitas Islam Riau, Indonesia Received: December 13, 2017. Revised: April 23, 2018. Accepted: June 10, 2018 Abstract The purpose of this study is to understand the role of pantun in the text of Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA). By using critical descriptive method accompanied by implementation of content analysis theory, the author conducted literature studies (literature studies), namely activities re- lating to compilation and critical analysis of literature data, such as books, magazines, docu- ments, historical stories and etc. The results of the study found that Pantun is an old Malay poetry work that is not only full of meaning but also solid with its beauty value. Values of beauty can perceived if we are sensitive and susceptible with structure and language style a pack of Pantun. The other result of this study found the functionality of the origin creation of Pantun associated with; (1) commoners who created pantun through their own living experiences, (2) wise people who issued wise words from their contemplation and (3) wise verses from the holy book, namely the Qur‟an. The most important research results above all of them are: 1). Pantun as a literary art, which has fulfilled the provisions as one of the highest art works of the Malay heritage. 2). Pantun as a culture of the Malay community confirms that the culture of reciprocating pantun is the culture of the Malay people. 3). Therefore, as the „soul‟ of NLMA, meaning and aesthetic of a Pantun should be understood and expressed by all NLMA singers. Keywords: Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA); Lingua Franca; Pantun; Pantun Functionality; Originality of Pantun How to Cite: Ritawati, T. (2018). Pantun in The Text of Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA). Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research And Education, 18(1), 97-106. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v18i1.15524 INTRODUCTION cluding allied Malay people, singing is also a special activity in cultural commu- In realizing a form of personal and nication. This is certainly in line with the cultural expression that is fundamental to opinion of Minette Mans (2009) who says: the field of music, we know one of them “A song, as well as other human expres- in the form of singing. As text and history, sions, is a habitual pattern that is learned, songs and musical works use traditional as a common thing for a cultured human signs and symbols as an alternative both being. Singing is a special activity of com- in the offering and in the playing. Through munication. “ singing, we can appreciate and understand Besides that, as one of the various cultural diversity and richness and indeed, cultures that have been learned from gene- indirectly through singing, we can also un- ration to generation for centuries, NLMA derstand our identity as a cultured nation. is a symbolic nature of a musical commu- It can be understood in a society, in- nication for the Malay people. 97 98 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 18 (1) (2018): 97-106 Corresponding author: Jl. Kaharuddin Nasution 113 Pekanbaru Riau 28284, Indonesia E-mail: [email protected] This research, based on the desire to which home is in Riau, or anywhere else understand the musical culture and sin- has almost the same character. The content ging of the archipelago, which in particu- contained in music and text certainly gi- lar is Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA) ves a certain meaning in people‟s lives. as the ultimate wealth of allied Malay cul- This classical Malay literature called ture. NLMA was chosen as the main aspect pantun has played a very special role in this research because this genre is a le- in the life of Malay society. Various soul gacy for allied Malay people around the experiences were manifested by Malay world with its own history. people into the pantun. Of course this is In addition, the researcher has also related to the way the Malay thinks which conducted research on NLMA specifically tends to express it through the metapho- ric related to the transmission (inheritance) way. According to Akmal (2015) it was of NLMA through formal education. This alleged that there were pantuns that were research is for a doctoral program disserta- very classic and popular in the Ma- lay tion entitled “Development of Curriculum community, namely pantun which was of- for Teaching and Learning of Nyanyian ten used in the wedding culture of Ma- lay Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA) for Formal Edu- people, for example in reciprocating„the cation Institutions” at University Pendi- Door Opener‟. The reciprocating pan- tun dikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Malaysia. Even „Pembuka Pintu‟ (the door opener) though it is also related to pantun, but the is a repying pantun one another in the discussion is not very specific, so that the door of the bride‟s house that is carried out writer intends to study pantun in the con- by the male guard. Reciprocating The pan- text of NLMA specifically in this research. tun NLMA is a tradition of singing „Door Opener‟ is a very exciting acti- sounds with a certain rhythm. The variety vity, spontaneous and contains a lot of me- of sounds is adjusted to the meaning that tapho- ric values, which shows the culture will be conveyed by the text of the song. of the Malay community that views an ob- For example in the song Tudung Periuk. ject or problem through inner depth, then The text or song lyrics conveyed illustra- reveals the results of the mind, apprecia- te the attitude of humility of the Malayans tion and desire of the heart by using me- in the perspective of life and relationships taphor, na- mely symbol and figuration. among human beings. Other things also This conditi- on makes the dimension of show about the manners and elegance of language and literature very thick in the Malayan language in daily life. life of the Malay world. The language con- There are several types of rhythms in taining symbols and metaphors is like a NLMA that are commonly sung by the Ma- mirror of the life of the Malay people (Ha- lay people, including: langgam, inang, zapin midy, 2011). Because of the expansion of and joget rhythm. Every rhythm certainly Sri Wijaya‟s kingdom trade activities, in its brings its own atmosphere. For example, development of Ma- lay language became the type of langgam rhythm is always iden- a kind of lingua fran- ca throughout the ar- tical with a sad atmosphere, so the pantun chipelago. used as lyrics is in sad tones too. Pantun in the NLMA text can also be NLMA text or lyrics are very open. said to be the „Soul‟ of NLMA. The pantun There are many NLMA whose pantun‟s itself for the Malay community have been text is developed and modified according used from all sides of life, for example, to the location and condition of the count- folk songs based on pantun. Even classi- ry where the song was popularized. Hasan cal Malay songs that were popular in the (2002) notes that Malay music is compa- past also spread to the archipelago such as: tible with the Malay community itself, and Dear Musalmah, Zapin Kasih and Budi, jalak most have become the universal property Lenteng, Mak Inang Pulau Kampai and so of Malayans in the world. Malay music on. These classical Malay terms refer to the Tengku Ritawati, Pantun in the text of Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA)… 99 notion of music genres which are based on of the line, according to the poem that is classical literature which are used as other a-b-a-b. At the end of the rhyme, row one sciences such as customs, religion, beliefs, is the same as the end of the third row, and literature, social, politics and general cul- the end of the second row is the same as the ture (Nicolas, 1994). end of the fourth row (Suharto & Subroto, In the National Seminar proceedings 2014). organized by PS PBSI FKIP Jember Uni- The form of pantun as text or lyrics in versity, Murti (2017) noted that “Pantun NLMA is a part that is inseparable from the is a representation of rhetorical intelligen- noble archipelago‟s cultural heritage. As ce in the language and literature of Ma- the formulation of the discussion above, in lay society that is beautiful with thought, the end the aim of this study was to under- beautiful in rhyme, and graceful in har- stand the role of pantun in the original mony. Pantun is born from the game of text of Nyanyian Lagu Melayu Asli (NLMA) sound and strict rhythmic consideration text. This study also wants to know how with instruments that are „in‟ and „enligh- the role of pantun for Malay society is seen tening‟. Pantun includes the values of the from the perspective of literature and Ma- wisdom of the local wisdom in reflecting lay culture. his noble life. This wisdom has attached and symbolizes the identity of the Malay METHOD nation. “ As a song text, pantun plays a big This research is a qualitative research role in people‟s lives. The songs that are using critical descriptive method through played will certainly indirectly permeate library research (library research), which is the hearth and have the impression of the a series of activities related to library data audience.