Semiotic Analysis of the Representation of Symbolic Meanings in Traditional Palembang Costumes and Attributes in the Film Gending Sriwijaya

Abstract

Traditional costumes and cultural attributes serve as significant cultural symbols that embody identity, social values, and philosophical principles within a community. In cinematic productions, however, these cultural symbols are frequently reconstructed through visual narratives, potentially generating selective and ideologically shaped interpretations of cultural reality. This study aims to explore the symbolic meanings represented through traditional Palembang costumes and cultural attributes in the film Gending Sriwijaya. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, this research adopts John Fiske’s semiotic framework, which examines the construction of meaning across three interconnected levels: reality, representation, and ideology. The analysis focuses on selected scenes featuring prominent elements of Palembang culture, including songket, siger, and tepak sirih. Data were collected through systematic observation, visual documentation, and an extensive review of relevant literature. The findings demonstrate that these cultural symbols function not merely as aesthetic components but also as visual signifiers of cultural identity, social hierarchy, and ceremonial traditions. At the level of reality, the film presents recognizable cultural markers; nevertheless, their portrayal remains largely confined to superficial visual representations. At the level of representation, cinematic techniques such as framing, lighting, and camera focus selectively foreground cultural symbols associated predominantly with aristocratic characters. At the ideological level, the film tends to simplify and fragment the complexity of Palembang culture by predominantly associating cultural richness with elite social groups. Consequently, the study concludes that the film presents a selective and partial reconstruction of Palembang culture, shaped primarily by narrative, aesthetic, and ideological considerations rather than providing a comprehensive representation of authentic cultural practices.