THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF POLENG MOTIFS IN CONTEMPORARY BALINESE CULTURE THROUGH PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDIES

• Main Author: Pageh Wibawa, Arya
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/80601
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Poleng motifs have an important meaning in the life of the Balinese people. The Poleng motif has a simple checkered pattern resembling a chessboard which is formed from a combination of two colors, namely black and white, which are sometimes interspersed with gray between black and white, or interspersed with red. Usually, the poleng motif is seen wrapped around certain trees, dwaraphala statues (guard statues), also used by pecalang (pakraman village security guards), and other uses related to Hindu religious ritual activities. So it can be said that the poleng motif has a sacred value in Hinduism in Bali. However, in subsequent developments, the poleng motif in Bali has become quite a massive identity discourse. This is considered a violation and contamination of religious symbols that have inner value; therefore, contamination of these symbols can offend the inner peace of its adherents. The poleng motif, which has an equivalent meaning to the concept of rwa bhineda, is often used as food wrappers or as a table cover in a restaurant, so it is important to pay close attention to religious nuances which can lead to debates about these religious symbols at the stage of their use. The cultural shift that occurred in Balinese society also led to a shift in the meaning of spirituality, namely appreciation and human experience in giving the meaning of the poleng motif, so the researchers argue that it is very important to understand the meaning of the poleng motif in contemporary cultural shifts. The focus of research on the experience of the Balinese people about the poleng motif is by finding the spiritual meaning of the poleng motif with user experience, by asking questions, namely (1) How to identify the spiritual value of the poleng motif? (2) How to describe the spiritual meaning of the poleng motif in Balinese culture? (3) How to describe the meaning of the spirituality of the poleng motif in contemporary Balinese culture? This study aims to (1) identify the value of spirituality in Balinese culture; (2) Describe the meaning of the spirituality of the poleng motif in Balinese culture; (3) Describe the meaning of the spirituality of the poleng motif in contemporary Balinese culture. Based on the object studied and the research objectives, the research was conducted using the phenomenological method to compile and develop theories based on empirical data. The research will be conducted in the form of a single case study with a fully holistic approach with a cultural perspective and is grounded in a nature research type of research, basic research with an analytical descriptive method. The analytical descriptive method is applied by looking at the nature of the research data in the spirituality aspect of the poleng motif and aspects of spirituality in contemporary Balinese culture. The Schultz phenomenological method was used when collecting and analyzing data. This is done to see the relationship between the meaning of the poleng motif and contemporary Balinese culture. This connection is a finding for researchers about the shift in the meaning of the poleng motif in contemporary Balinese culture. This research was conducted in several stages, starting from the data to a theory. Sources of research data are informants, actors and Balinese cultural figures, Hindu religious figures, and cultural institutions in Bali. Data collection techniques through research tools (instruments) by conducting interviews, observations, literature studies, and documents (archives). Data collection techniques according to phenomenology are required by determining key informants, who can be trusted to be able to "open the door" for researchers to determine research objects.