ETNOGRAFI KOMUNIKASI TRADISI CHENG BENG BAGI ETNIS TIONGHOA DI DAERAH RANTAU PRAPAT, KABUPATEN LABUHAN BATU, PROVINSI SUMATERA UTARA

Abstract

One of the ethnic groups in Indonesia is Chinese, based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2010, the number of ethnic Chinese in Indonesia reached 2.83 million or around 1.2% of the total population in Indonesia. Cheng Beng is a tradition carried out by Chinese people to respect their ancestors by visiting pilgrimages or praying on the ashes, one of which is located in Rantau Prapat, Labuhan Batu Regency, North Sumatra Province. This tradition is carried out so that all close relatives, siblings, children, can gather and further strengthen the relationship and preserve the traditions of the ancestors.

               Communication ethnography was used in this study because researchers collected descriptive data and analysis of how social meanings were used and how communication behaviors were the actions or activities of the Rantau Prapat community in the Cheng Beng tradition. The focus of this study discusses the practices of communication, events and communication actions related to Cheng Beng's rituals. This research method uses descriptive qualitative with ethnographic communication approach that starts from observation, interviews, documentation and the participation of researchers in witnessing the procession of the Cheng Beng tradition. The informants in this study consisted of 1 monk, 1 monasteries, 2 people from the Chinese community and 1 family consisting of 5 people who carried out the Cheng Beng tradition.

               The results of this study show the communicative situation of the Cheng Beng tradition comprising the location of this tradition, Cheng Beng and the participants who carried out the tradition. This tradition is carried out in the cemetery. The communicative events of the Cheng Beng tradition include the value, message and purpose of the tradition. The values adopted in this tradition are cultural values even though they are not escaped from rituals like Confucian beliefs. The message to be conveyed in this tradition is to commemorate the kindness of their parents, ancestors and ancestors. Communicative acts of the Cheng Beng tradition verbally cannot be disclosed in this study due to its very special and sacred character by Chinese ethnicity while nonverbal acts include equipment equipment as a medium in this ritual in the form of: (Incense, Candles, Five-Color Paper or Hereafter Money) which has its own meaning and meaning.