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The Symbolic Meanings of the Lengger Mask Dance in the Sedekah Bumi Ceremony of Kaliputih Village

Sutasoma : Jurnal Sastra Jawa · Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 10–25

DOI
10.15294/sjsj.v14i1.36908
ISSN
2686-5408, 2252-6463
Published
2026-07-05
Publisher
Program Studi Sastra Jawa, Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni, Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

The Lengger Mask Dance during the Sedekah Bumi Ceremony in Kaliputih village is a sacred tradition rich in symbolic meaning and is still maintained amid modernization. This research aims to uncover the symbolic meanings in the songs, movements, makeup, and dance clothes of the Lengger Mask, and to explain how the community maintains its sustainability as a means of preserving local wisdom. This research uses a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach combined with an ethnopedagogical perspective, through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation of traditional actors, traditional leaders, village officials, and communities. The data is analyzed using an interactive model through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of the study show that the symbols in the Lengger Mask Dance represent the cosmological relationship between humans, ancestors, nature, and God through the structure of the song, the variety of movements, and the performance's attributes. In addition, tradition is preserved through intergenerational inheritance, communal commitment, and the revitalization of cultural values in the practice of the Sedekah Bumi ritual. This study concludes that the symbolic meaning of the Lengger Mask Dance is the primary foundation for the sustainability of tradition and for strengthening cultural education in the community.

Keywords

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11 authors · 17 co-authorship links

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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Mukh DoyinAffiliation unknown2
Bagaskara Nur RochmansyahAffiliation unknown1
Yusro Edy NugrohoAffiliation unknown1
Ifutya WarnisaAffiliation unknown1
Imam BaehaqieAffiliation unknown1
Maulida Laily Kusuma WatiAffiliation unknown1
Ratna Intan SariAffiliation unknown1
Nas Haryati SetyaningsihAffiliation unknown1
Finda Septina MunjariyatiAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/sutasoma/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">The Symbolic Meanings of the Lengger Mask Dance in the Sedekah Bumi Ceremony of Kaliputih Village</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Widiyanto, Nugro</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Supriyanto, RM. Teguh</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">symbolic meaning; Topeng Lengger dance; sedekah bumi; local wisdom; Wonosobo</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">The Lengger Mask Dance during the Sedekah Bumi Ceremony in Kaliputih village is a sacred tradition rich in symbolic meaning and is still maintained amid modernization. This research aims to uncover the symbolic meanings in the songs, movements, makeup, and dance clothes of the Lengger Mask, and to explain how the community maintains its sustainability as a means of preserving local wisdom. This research uses a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach combined with an ethnopedagogical perspective, through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation of traditional actors, traditional leaders, village officials, and communities. The data is analyzed using an interactive model through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of the study show that the symbols in the Lengger Mask Dance represent the cosmological relationship between humans, ancestors, nature, and God through the structure of the song, the variety of movements, and the performance's attributes. In addition, tradition is preserved through intergenerational inheritance, communal commitment, and the revitalization of cultural values in the practice of the Sedekah Bumi ritual. This study concludes that the symbolic meaning of the Lengger Mask Dance is the primary foundation for the sustainability of tradition and for strengthening cultural education in the community.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Program Studi Sastra Jawa, Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni, Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-07-05</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/sutasoma/article/view/36908</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/sjsj.v14i1.36908</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Sutasoma : Jurnal Sastra Jawa; Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): Sutasoma: Jurnal Sastra Jawa; 10-25</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2686-5408</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2252-6463</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/sjsj.v14i1</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/sutasoma/article/view/36908/10583</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Sutasoma : Jurnal Sastra Jawa</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>