Revealing the concept of life and death in ancient oral discourse of indonesian indigenous tribe: a conceptual metaphor analysis

Abstract

This research aims to reveal the concept of life and death found in the ancient oral discourse of one of the Indonesian indigenous tribe which is known as Pasang ri Kajang by employing the conceptual metaphor analysis (CMA) and the conceptual metaphor theory (CMT). This research is a qualitative research which uses several techniques of data collection such as semi – structured interviews, field notes, recording, and note taking. In analysing the data, this research adminstered conceptual metaphor techniques of data analysis which adopted the three stages mentioned in CMA namely data identification, data interpretation, and data explanation. The present results reveal that simplicity (kamase – masea) is a life style or cultural behaviours undertaken by Kajang people in carrying out their life in humble ways. This is the way of Kajang people apply their ancestors’ ideology to live in simplicity or humble way. This research also reveals that Kajang people engages rituals daily. For them, rituals are inseparably related to everyday life, and they have their own system of categorization for rituals. Moreover, it reveals that death is described as a journey that only a good death (good soul) will travel to the hereafter, since they believe only good soul will be rewarded with eternal life (Karakkang) and extraordinary wealth (Kalumannyang kaluppepeang) in hereafter (ahera). The research concludes the conceptualization of life and death as found in Pasang ri Kajang are LIFE IS KAMASE – MASEA, LIFE IS RITUALS and DEATH IS A JOURNEY.