THE POEM “DIALOG BELIATNT” BY M. JUNUS MELALATOA: STUDY OF SEMIOTIC MICHAEL RIFFATERRE

Abstract

ABSTRACT: “Dialog Beliant” is one poem which is included in the collected of ethnography poem book Luka Sebuah Negeri written By M. Junus Melalatoa. It is a kind of aesthetic response of ethnographer-poet toward beliatnt ritual ceremony of Dayak Benuaq ethnic East Kalimantan. This paper is aimed at describing the significance implied in the poem. This article belongs to qualitative research which applies semiotic theory of Michael Riffaterre. Analysis was applied heuristic and hermeneutic readings and continued by identifying matrix, model, varian, and intertextual relation (hipogram). The result of research shows that the matrix of “Dialog beliatnt” poem is the harmonic relation between human and forefathers’ spirit, physic and metaphysic. Matrix was transformed through model which expanded toward variant and spread through the poem. After applying the whole concept of semiotic Riffaterre, found that the significance of the poem was the description of ritual as the symbol of harmonious relationship among human, universe, and spirit world which are sacred and supernatural.