International Journal of Research and Review www.ijrrjournal.com E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237 Research Paper Facts and Values of Karo’s “Merga Purba” Folk Stories Hariadi Susilo, Asni Barus, Salliyanti Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Sumatera Utara, Jalan Dr. Mansyur Padang Bulan, Medan, Indonesia Corresponding Author: Hariadi Susilo ABSTRACT The facts of myths, legends, and mythical beliefs belong to the genre of oral folklore. As it is generally understood myth is a sacred folklore having gods or half-gods as their figures and while legend is meant a people's prose which is considered to have occurred in the world in the not-too- distant past and had human beings as the characterswho had tremendous qualities and were assisted by magical creatures. Such religious beliefs not only describe the sacred beings such as gods or angels, and unseen natures, like heaven or hell, but what is more important is the relations between such creatures with humans’ real world of life. The research is qualitative, taking into accountsonly on the primary data in which the observation was held in several locationssuch as Seribudolok, Pematangpurba, Kaban, Lau Gendek, Gunung Barus and Gunung Singkut or in Beluh Duri and was focused on ethnographic aspects. Results show that "Merg Purba" folk stories are oriented to (1) shamans as astrologers, (2) springs as medicine, and (3) shower ritual. Furthermore, the fairy tales of beliefcontain (1) an angel, (2) damage prevention to the natural environment, and (3) the value of cohesiveness/togetherness. Likewise, in the legend, the beliefs may include (1) the value of ethics of decency, (2) the origin name of Kaban Jahe, and (3) fairy logic. Keywords: Merga Purba, Karo, facts, values, folk stories, belief, folklore INTRODUCTION qualities and are assisted the magical The Latin word factus or fact in creatures; fairy tale is a folk prose story that Englishis described by Kartodirjo as is never happened and not bound by time something that can be caught by the and place (Dananjaya, 1994: 50). human’s senses or as data of reality that has Asa story or as such that has source been proven and has occurred and shows just like history but is more prominently in true information or becomes an irrefutable the fantasy, myth always includes human statement of truth (Kartodirjo, 1982: 16). life and usually has super man as its Such statement can be in the form of character. The mythical story usually sentences which are written and based on consists of two parts and the first part is reality, events, or on circumstances that characterized as mythical, fairytale, and have actually occurred. Myth, legend, and legendary containing the state of the past, fairy tale belong to the genre of oral the origin of kings in akingdom, and the folklore. Myth is a sacred folklore having beginning of the enactment of customs and gods or half-gods as its characters; legend is so on. The second part can be identified folklore which has occurred in the world in when its author tells the time of his own life. the not-too-distant past and its charactersare The structure of folk story is very complex human beings who often have tremendous and contains not only stories, myths, International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 164 Vol.5; Issue: 9; September 2018 Hariadi Susilo et.al. Facts and Values of Karo’s “Merga Purba” Folk Stories legends, and tales, but also various things of innanimate stone where the written text concerning life and community life of its of the ten commandments of God exists. owner (Nasution, 2012: 1). Values refer to empirical qualities The value of faith has a different that can not be defined but it does not mean writing style with five characteristics: they can not be understood. Value is having region-centric or regional, ignoring something important and useful to human elements of facts, containing beliefs in beings, so it is often seen as something magical power or elements, believing in grand and sublime. It also means an magic by certain figures (Darmiasti, 2009: appreciation or quality that determines one's 34). Everything is centered on the king or behavior, because something is fun, on his royal family and this is often called satisfying, interesting, useful, profitable or palace-centric. Religious beliefs not only is a system of belief (Kasnadi, 2017: 2). depict and explain sacred beings such as Therefore, value is upheld by a group of gods or angels, and supernatural beings, like people and refers to something that contains heaven or hell, but also more importantly the meaning of happiness or worth and connect human beings with their real world. goodness. Generally, literary works of Dilistone (in Hariadi, 2006: 130) argued that traditional society, such as folklore, is an the existence of a world is associated with expression of social life of a society and its meaningful goods and objects which are the customs. When analyzed this story is linked sources of inspiration or imagination of the with social principles and when seen in deep creators when goods and objects have it shows the cultural value in Karo folklore, meanings that can be achieved as the efforts so the text of the folklore becomes the of human’s dedication and cooperation. reflection of cultural values. However, goods and objects remain the Cultural values include (1) ideas, centerswhich are full of attraction, values and norms, (2) complex activities of invention, deed, and responses. They are human’s behavior patterns, and (3) human’s always seen vital and sacred andin addition, works. The form of cultural institutions in objectively they become meaningful items the form of value systems, ideas, norms, because of self consciousnessss as well as of customs that are abstract, unformed can not certain individuals. be touched or photographed. This first form According to Nottingham (2002: 2) functions as a behavior that governs, the meaning of objects and goods as the controls, and gives direction to human representation of cognitive formation forthe behavior and behavior in society existence of consciousness in itself is (Koentjaranigrat, 1979: 35) and is called presented and interpreted in the idiology of cultural value which covers all series of construction of standardized binary elements that become the most prominent opposition which is categorized as good, characteristics of a culture, which further moderate, sufficient, low and sacred which describes the character of the culture. is often said sacral and secular. On the other Cultural values are generally shaped hand, the meaning of sufism and by values, norms, and beliefs so that they posmodernism in formation reproduces can not be seen. In each society, a number symbols of language showingthe different of ideally cultural patterns are developed construction of ideologies, such as Sufism, and tend to be reinforced by restrictions; Hinduismwhich exist in themselves to cultural limitations are divided into two represent the symbol of the living thingsuch types, namely (1) direct restriction occurring as the sacred bull, Christians present the when we try to do something customary in symbol of the inanimate object of the cross our culture, which is unusual or perceived as on the Altar, Muslims present a symbol of a violation of modesty, for example when inanimate black stone that is placed in the someone comes to a college in inappropriate corner of Ka'bah, the Jews present a symbol clothes. Then the person will be directly International Journal of Research & Review (www.ijrrjournal.com) 165 Vol.5; Issue: 9; September 2018 Hariadi Susilo et.al. Facts and Values of Karo’s “Merga Purba” Folk Stories reprimanded by the lecturer; (2) indirect beginningand make folklore relevant and restrictions covering activities committed by operational in the present context, is infringers which are not impeded or timeless, time-bound, or reversible-time, but restricted directly but such activities will not at the same time it explains what is receive responses from other members of happening and what will happen in the the culture because they are not understood future (Ahimsa, 2001: 50). by them, for example when somebody does The Merga Purba folklore reveals shopping in a traditional market by using ethnographic, societal, mythic, legendary, English because he will not be served dogmatic, traditional, and literary because nothing is understood. A system of aspects.Therefore, theresearch problem is: cultural values consists of conceptions that what facts of value ofbeliefts in the Merga live in the minds of most people who know Purba folklore really exist? Kasnadi (2017) the things they have to value in life. did his researchon “The rreligious values: A Therefore, a cultural value system usually local wisdomof Ponorogo’s folkstory” and serves as the ultimate guide to human found that such values were in accordance behavior. A more concrete system of human with the concepts of submission, piety, and behavior, such as special rules, laws, and gratitude to God. The values with relevance norms, all of which are guided by the to the concept of animism and dynamism cultural value system (Koentjaraningrat, appearedin the form of objects, belieft in 2002: 41). places, in good and bad days, and in spirits. Koentjaraningrat (2002: 25) noted Wardhani (2017)has undergone her research that cultural value is the first level of ideal on “The cultural values of Bugis’ Si Jago or customary culture and is the most Rencana in Sumbawa Regency” and abstract and broadest scope. This level described how Bugis’ cultural values looked includes ideas that conceive of the most at attitudes and manners, and behavior valuable things in people’s lives. The which were shown by characters when second form of cultural value is social dealing with the conflicts and how they system covering the structure and process in solvedproblems of life.