DARI BUNYI KE MAKNA: INTERPRETASI MAKNA SIMBOLIK INSTRUMEN SASANDO DALAM FILOSOFIS HIDUP MASYARAKAT ROTE

Abstrak

Sasando merupakan alat musik tradisional masyarakat Rote, Nusa Tenggara Timur, yang merepresentasikan nilai budaya, identitas, dan pandangan hidup masyarakat pendukungnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan menginterpretasikan makna simbolik Sasando dalam perspektif filosofis masyarakat Rote melalui kajian terhadap konstruksi fisik, unsur musikal, dan praktik sosialnya. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif-interpretatif dengan teori etnomusikologi Alan P. Merriam, semiotika Roland Barthes, dan hermeneutika budaya. Data diperoleh melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam dengan pembuat dan pemain Sasando, tokoh adat, budayawan, serta studi literatur, kemudian dianalisis secara interpretatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Sasando merupakan teks budaya yang mengandung sistem simbol yang kompleks. Bambu melambangkan ketahanan hidup, resonator daun lontar merepresentasikan hubungan harmonis manusia dengan alam, sedangkan dawai dan harmoni musikal menjadi metafora persatuan dalam keberagaman. Selain sebagai instrumen musik, Sasando berfungsi sebagai media pembentukan identitas budaya, pewarisan nilai, penguatan kohesi sosial, dan sarana spiritual dalam berbagai ritus adat. Penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa Sasando merupakan representasi kosmologi, etika, dan spiritualitas masyarakat Rote yang berkontribusi terhadap pengembangan kajian etnomusikologi serta pelestarian warisan budaya takbenda Indonesia.

The Sasando is a traditional musical instrument of the Rote people in East Nusa Tenggara, embodying the cultural values, identity, and worldview of the community that sustains it. This study aims to interpret the symbolic meaning of the Sasando from the philosophical perspective of the Rote people by examining its physical construction, musical elements, and associated social practices. The research employs a descriptive-interpretative qualitative approach, drawing upon Alan P. Merriam’s ethnomusicological theory, Roland Barthes’s semiotics, and cultural hermeneutics. Data were gathered through observation, in-depth interviews with Sasando makers, players, traditional leaders, and cultural figures, as well as a literature review, and were subsequently analyzed interpretatively. The findings reveal that the Sasando serves as a cultural text containing a complex system of symbols. The bamboo symbolizes resilience; the *lontar* (palmyra palm) leaf resonator represents the harmonious relationship between humans and nature; and the strings and musical harmony serve as metaphors for unity in diversity. Beyond its role as a musical instrument, the Sasando functions as a medium for shaping cultural identity, transmitting values, strengthening social cohesion, and facilitating spiritual expression in various traditional rituals. This study underscores that the Sasando represents the cosmology, ethics, and spirituality of the Rote people, thereby contributing to the advancement of ethnomusicological studies and the preservation of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage.