SPIRITUALITY OF GENDANG RITUAL OF DEATH PERFORMED BY THE KARO ETHNIC PEOPLE IN THE GLOBALISATION ERA Pulumun Peterus Ginting I Nyoman Kutha Ratna I Made Suastika I Wayan Dibia Universitas Negeri Medan email: pulumun@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The gendang ritual of death, which is performed by the Karo ethnic people, has changed a lot in regard to its spirituality in the globalization era. Such change, which has caused the gendang ritual of death to be secularized, results from the interaction between the local cultural elements and the global cultural ones; meaning that a new form and meaning have appeared. This present study is intended to identify, analyze and explain what such change is like, the factors contributing to it and its implication. This present study was designed as a qualitative study using the critical interdisciplinary and multidimensional approach of cultural studies. The theory of deconstruction, the theory of comodification, and the theory of semiotics were used to answer such questions. The data were analyzed descriptively, qualitatively, and interpretatively. The data were collected through observation, in-depth interview, documentary study, and library research. Three conclusions were inferred from the present study. First, the form of the change in spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era; second, the factors contributing to such change; third, the meaning of such change. The study shows that the interaction between the local culture and global culture has marginalized the local cultural values; as a result, such a ritual has a new meaning, and is becoming degraded and secularized. Keywords: Spirituality, gendang ritual of death, Karo ethnic group, and globalization era INTRODUCTION The Karo ethnic people have many types of rituals in their culture. The gendang ritual of death is one of the rituals which is importantly performed by the Karo ethnic people. This present study contains the result of analysis of a cultural reality which has taken place in the Karo society in the globalization era. Such change which has caused the gendang ritual of death to be secularized results from the interaction between the local cultural elements and the global cultural ones; as a result, a new form and meaning have appeared. As far as the perspective of cultural studies is concerned, a study should raise an empirical field reality which is related to the matters pertaining to the cultural globalization (Lubis, 2006: 186). The traditional musical equipment, which is referred to as gendang lima sedalanen, as one of elements of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic group, has been replaced by keyboard, meaning that, on one hand, there has been degradation, and on other hand, there has been secularization. This represents the fact that the Karo ethnic people’s spirituality has interacted with the modern rationality (Ginting, 2015: xii). To this end, this present study discusses the spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era. This present study is intended to identify what the change in spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people is like; understand the factors contributing to such change; and to interpret the meaning of such change in the spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people, and interpret the meaning of such change in the globalization era viewed from the cultural treasure of its supporting community. It is expected that the result of the present study will be theoretically and practically significant. In theory, it is expected that the result of the present study will give contribution not only in regard to cultural studies but also more than that. In practice, it is expected that the result of the present study will give comprehension, enlightenment, and emancipation which can be used to improve the socio-cultural condition through a scientific process. In addition, it is also expected that the result of the present study will give concepts to the government as to what to do when excavating the local cultural values. RESEARCH METHOD The qualitative method using the approach of cultural studies which is critical, interdisciplinary, and multidimensional in nature was used to answer the problems of the study. The data were obtained through library research, documentary study, field observation, and in-depth interview (Ratna, 2010: 84). After the data were verified, the data were analyzed using several relevant theories such as the theory of deconstruction, the theory of ethnomusicology, the theory of comodification, and the theory of semiotics. DISCUSSION The findings of the present study include three things. First, the change in the spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era includes (a) the form of gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people, which reveals that death is a real life, that in death there is a life, and that in a life there is death; (b) the form of the gedang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people includes the Karo ethnic people’s cosmology; (c) the form of what is locally referred to as landek (dancing), which includes traditional landek and ceremonial landek; (d) form of what is locally referred to as nuri-nuri (advice); (e) the form of what is locally referred to as ngandung (cry); (f) the form of what is locally referred to as rende perkolong-kolong (singing); (f) the form of keyboard and trumpet. Second, the factors causing the spirituality of the gendang ritual of death to change in the globalization era are (a) the internal factors which include the fact that the supporting community of the gendang ritual of death is not narrowly viewed and not only limited to the graphical territory and genealogy, but the Karo community is viewed as a community within a social organizational community, wherever its member lives. The artistic creativity which is involved in the gendang ritual of death is an accumulation of the creative way of thinking of the Karo ethnic people from year to year. The Karo identity, which is closely related to the economic, political and cultural factors and practices, is at the same time their cultural identity. (b) The external factors which include Christianization, which has given ambivalent impression and has caused the Karo ethnic people’s spirituality to be cracked (Sembiring, 2010: 89). Then there has been a pressure from the foreign culture which has caused the Karo ethnic people to become the standardized community of commodities. The cultural industry cannot be separated from the development of the consumer society, namely, the society’s life which refers to a social condition in which consumption is the central point of life (Piliang, 2004: 251). The cultural industry is one of the external factors which contribute to the gendang ritual of death. Third, the meaning of the change in spirituality in the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era includes (a) the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s society through what is locally referred to as gendang lima sedalanen which functions to accompany the music, and the dance which is performed in the gendang ritual of death as “something which glues” all elements of the ritual. In addition, it is also used during the death procession, which contains various messages and expectations for the families of those who are dead. The meaning of the relation between the “gendang lima sedealanen”, both as an instrument and the musical sound it produces, cannot be separated from the kinship system in the Karo ethnic society; (b) the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s society through what is locally referred to as landek (dancing) which includes traditional landek and ritual landek; a movement is defined as a symbol which functions as the Karo ethnic society’s philosophy; (c) the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s identity through what is locally referred to as nuri-nuri (advice); it indicates that the families of those who are dead is sad; respect is also expressed through nuri-nuri to what is locally referred to as kalibumbu; (d) the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s identity through what is locally referred to as ngandung (cry); showing condolence and, at the same time, strengthens the families of those who are dead, expressed through cries; (e) the Karo ethnic people’s identity through what is locally referred to as rende (song) which is frequently used in the traditional rituals which are performed by the Karo ethnic people especially if someone is dead; (j) the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s identity through what is termed as gendang keyboard and the representation of the Karo ethnic people’s identity through trumpet; the meaning also includes the cultural change. The novelties of the present study are as follows. First, the oral tradition of the gendang ritual of death shows that spirituality functions as the basic values and commitment of the Karo ethnic people when they perform the rituals which they are supposed to perform. Second, modernization and globalization, which has been unconsciously believed not to dominate, turn out to marginalize and degrade the local tradition. This present study reveals what has really taken place in the field, meaning that hegemony takes place based on the consensus and agreement collectively made. And third, the definition of the gendang ritual of death should be redefined. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION It can be stated that death is a real life; in death there is a life and in a life there is death. The spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era is getting degraded and secularized, resulting from the internal and external factors. This present study significantly strengthens identity. Such identity strengthening is represented by the identity of the Karo ethnic people through the representation of gendang lima sedalanen (ensambel music karo). This present study is open to criticism; it is open to further research so that various dimensions of the spirituality of the gendang ritual of death performed by the Karo ethnic people in the globalization era can be more critically and theoretically analyzed. The result of the present study can also be used to develop and enrich the cultural studies, and as an important reference containing the creativity of the Karo ethnic people in particular, and those who live in North Sumatera Province, and Indonesia in general in art. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In this opportunity, the writer would like to thank the Rector of Udayana University, and Director of School of Postgraduate Studies for the opportunity and facilities provided to the writer to join the Doctorate Program of Cultural Studies of Udayana University. The writer would also like to thank Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Kutha Ratna, S.U. as the supervisor; Prof. Dr. I Made Suastika, S.U. and Prof. Dr. I Wayan Dibia, SST., M.A., as co-supervisors for their supervision and advice during the completion of this present study. Finally, thanks are also expressed to all the other parties for helping the completion of this study. BIBLIOGRAPHY Adlin, Alfahri (ed.). 2007. Spiritualitas dan Realitas Kebudayaan Kontemporer. Yogyakarta: Jalasutra. Barker, Chris. 2004. Cultural Studies Teori dan Praktik. (terj. Nurhadi). Yogyakarta: Kreasi Wacana. Berry, Thomas. 2013. Kosmologi Kristen. (terj. Amelia Hendani). Maumere: Ledalero. Cooley, Frank L. 1976. 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